Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jul 5, 2025
Catheter Ablation in Combination With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 26, 2013
One-Day Interruption of NOAC Is Associated with Low Risk of Periprocedural Adverse Events during Pulmonary Vein
Katalin Piros1, Adorján Vida1, Nándor Szegedi1
1Heart and Vascular Center, Semmelweis University, Városmajor Street 68, 1122 Budapest, Hungary.
Background:
Safety, efficacy, and patient comfort are the expectations during pulmonary vein isolation (PVI). We aimed to validate the combined advantages of pre- and periprocedural anticoagulation with non-vitamin K anticoagulants (NOACs) and rigorous left atrial appendage thrombus (LAAT) exclusion with computed tomography (CT).
Methods:
This study included a population of consecutive patients, between March 2018 and June 2020, who underwent cardiac CT within 24 h before PVI to guide the ablation and rule out LAAT. NOAC was omitted 24 h before the ablation.
Results:
A total of 187 patients (63% male) underwent CT before PVI. None of the patients experienced stroke during or after the procedure. The complication rate was low, with no thromboembolic events and 2.1% of patients experiencing a major bleeding event.
Conclusions:
Omitting NOAC 24 h before the ablation might be safe if combined with left atrial thrombus exclusion with computed tomography.
