Pre-cath Laboratory Planning for Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion - Optional or Essential?

Area of Science:

• Cardiovascular medicine
• Medical imaging
• Interventional cardiology

Background:

• Advancements in cardiovascular procedural technologies necessitate improved preprocedural planning.
• Physician-led, multi-modality imaging training is crucial for procedural accuracy.
• Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion (LAAO) procedures can have complications like device leak or embolization.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the benefits of physician-led imaging and digital tools in LAAO preprocedural planning.
• To discuss the role of cardiac CT, 3D printing, and advanced imaging techniques.
• To advocate for standardized imaging protocols for optimal patient outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Review of current literature and clinical practices in LAAO.
• Discussion of multi-modality imaging techniques including cardiac CT and 3D printing.
• Exploration of novel applications like intraprocedural 3D angiography and fusion imaging.

Main Results:

• Cardiac CT and 3D printing significantly aid preprocedural planning for the Heart Team.
• Physician-driven imaging reduces risks of device leak, cardiac injury, and embolization.
• Emerging technologies like computational modeling and AI show future promise.

Conclusions:

• Standardized physician-led preprocedural imaging planning is essential for successful LAAO.
• Integrating advanced imaging and digital tools optimizes patient-centric procedural success.
• A collaborative Heart Team approach enhances safety and efficacy in LAAO procedures.