patients with valvular heart disease suffer from atrial fibrillation for more than 12 months after valve surgery and have a low probability of remaining in sinus rhythm. we performed an intra-operative procedure similar to surgical maze ііі procedure for conversion of this arrhythmia to sinus rhythm. we did this study to evaluate the efficacy of this procedure to restore the sinus rhythm in pat...

We reports a case of a newly formed thrombus in the left atrial appendage during cardiopulmonary bypass detected by transesophageal echocardiography in a patient with chronic atrial fibrillation and mitral stenosis. This case alerts the anesthesiologists of possible thrombus formation despite full heparinization during cardiac surgery and the importance of a comprehensive echocardiography exami...

patients with valvular heart disease and suffering atrial fibrillation of more than 12 months duration have a low probability of remaining in sinus rhythm after valve surgery alone. we performed intra-operative radiofrequency ablation or cryoablation as an alternative to surgical maze ііі procedure to create linear lesion lines for conversion of this arrhythmia to sinus rhythm. a total of 30 pa...

The left atrial (LA) appendage is a common source of cardiac thrombus formation associated with systemic embolism. Transesophageal echocardiography allows a detailed evaluation of the structure and function of the appendage by two-dimensional imaging and Doppler interrogation of appendage flow. Specific flow patterns, reflecting appendage function, have been characterized for normal sinus rhyth...

OBJECTIVE To compare the value of current transthoracic echocardiographic systems and transoesophageal echocardiography for assessing left atrial appendage function and imaging thrombi. DESIGN Single blind prospective study. Patients were first investigated by transthoracic echocardiography and thereafter by a second investigator using transoesophageal echocardiography. The feasibility of ima...

OBJECTIVES This study compared left atrial and left atrial appendage contraction velocities in sinus rhythm before and after a brief period of atrial fibrillation in a canine model. BACKGROUND In patients, left atrial appendage contraction velocities measured during sinus rhythm after cardioversion from atrial fibrillation are depressed relative to left atrial appendage emptying velocities me...

Background: Mechanical occlusion of the Left atrial appendage (LAA) using a purpose-built device has emerged as an effective prophylactic treatment in patients with atrial fibrillation at risk of stroke and a contraindication for anticoagulation. A crucial step in procedural planning is the choice of the device size. This is currently based on the manual analysis of the “Device Landing Zone” fr...

AIMS Left atrial appendage thrombi are believed to be the source of embolism in patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis in atrial fibrillation. There are a few studies which search the effects of left atrial appendage dysfunction in patients with mitral stenosis in sinus rhythm. METHODS AND RESULTS Left atrial appendage function and flow patterns in 41 patients with rheumatic mitral stenosis ...

AIMS Diastolic late mitral annular velocity (a') measured by transthoracic echocardiography (TTE) is reported to represent left atrial (LA) pump function and the severity of LA remodelling. The purpose of this study is to investigate the association between a' and LA blood stasis in patients with non-valvular paroxysmal atrial fibrillation. METHODS AND RESULTS We enrolled 138 consecutive pati...

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the role of haemostatic and haemodynamic variables in left atrial thrombosis in non-rheumatic atrial fibrillation. DESIGN Case-control study. SUBJECTS One hundred and nine patients with non-rheumatic atrial fibrillation. INTERVENTIONS Peak blood velocity measured at three sites in the left atrium. Venous blood sampled for coagulant proteins and markers of haemostatic...