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Updated: Oct 30, 2025

Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 26, 2013
[The current state of knowledge on the percutaneous elimination of the left atrial appendage based on data from
Mikołaj Tomasiuk1, Katarzyna Mitręga1, Zbigniew Kalarus1
1Department of Cardiology, Congenital Heart Diseases and Electrotherapy, Silesian Center for Heart Disease, Medical University of Silesia, Division of Medical Sciences in Zabrze.
Percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) is a well known form of thromboembolism prophylaxis in patients at high risk of thromboembolism and with serious bleeding complications during oral anticoagulation (OAC/NOAC). Despite high safety profile and high efficiency, LAAO cannot be proposed as equivalent to OAC/NOAC but only as an alternative method which may be consider in specific group of patients. According to current data LAAO is not worse than OAC in stroke, systemic embolism and cardiovascular death prevention, however it is associated with a higher percentage of periprocedural adverse events. Nevertheless, long term observation showed statistically significant reduction in total mortality and cardiovascular mortality in patients who underwent LAAO compared to OAC.
Percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) is a well known form of thromboembolism prophylaxis in patients at high risk of thromboembolism and with serious bleeding complications during oral anticoagulation (OAC/NOAC). Despite high safety profile and high efficiency, LAAO cannot be proposed as equivalent to OAC/NOAC but only as an alternative method which may be consider in specific group of patients. According to current data LAAO is not worse than OAC in stroke, systemic embolism and cardiovascular death prevention, however it is associated with a higher percentage of periprocedural adverse events. Nevertheless, long term observation showed statistically significant reduction in total mortality and cardiovascular mortality in patients who underwent LAAO compared to OAC.
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