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Updated: May 6, 2026

The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 28, 2012
Late device-related thrombus associated with occult malignancy years after left atrial appendage closure
Ahmad O Armouti1, Sheyar Amin1, David Z Rose1
1University of South Florida Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, FL USA.
Introduction:
The use of Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) occluder devices has been on the rise in patients with atrial fibrillation. Studies regarding the long-term risks of occluder devices remain sparse.
Materials & Methods:
In this brief report, we discuss the unusual case of an 85-year-old female with long-term complication from Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) closure: Device-Related Thrombus (DRT) about two years after insertion.
Results:
Compared to the expected stroke rate without anticoagulation, patients with DRT on their LAAO device still had a 28 % relative reduction in ischemic stroke. This suggests that these strokes may have emanated from alternate etiologies other than the DRT.
Conclusions:
Patients with active or known history of cancer appears to have a higher risk of DRT. More data is needed on this topic to augment awareness and understanding of LAAO complications and DRT management strategies.
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