BACKGROUND Left atrial appendage (LAA) ligation with the Lariat device is being used for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation. Residual leaks into the LAA are commonly reported after the procedure. Little is known about the anatomic LAA remodeling after Lariat ligation. METHODS AND RESULTS In an exploratory study, we evaluated LAA 3-dimensional geometry via computed tomographic scan in 31...

A 64-year-old white woman with moderately severe rheumatic mitral stenosis complicated by atrial fibrillation and recurrent systemic embolisation to the brain was found at operation to have a large 'free-floating' left atrial thrombus, as well as multiple left atrial appendage thrombi. These had not been detected by echocardiography. She also had significantly reduced left ventricular contracti...

METHODS A total of 34 patients undergoing open heart surgery were included. Atrial tissue was obtained from the right atrial free wall, right atrial appendage, left atrial free wall and left atrial appendage, respectively. The messenger ribonucleic acid (mRNA) amount of the genes was measured by reverse transcription–polymerase chain reaction and normalized to the mRNA levels of glyceraldehyde ...

OBJECTIVE To determine the relations between left atrial appendage function, spontaneous echo contrast, and thromboembolism in patients with different modes of permanent pacemakers. PATIENTS AND METHODS 88 patients with pacemaker implantation and 25 healthy controls in sinus rhythm had transoesophageal echocardiographic examination of the left atrial appendage. Left atrial size, appendage are...

A 57 year-old male patient was admitted to our echocardiography laboratory to rule out thrombus in left atrium before electrical cardioversion of atrial fibrillation. Transoesophageal echocardiography (TEE) demonstrated in the bicaval view, the right atrial appendage measured 10 x 5 cm, area: 42 cm(2), volume: 229 mL (Figure, left). A quick injection of 15 cc of echo-contrast fluid (shaken sali...

This article reviews the published evidence on stroke prevention with percutaneous closure of the left atrial appendage and provides comparative insight into the various left atrial appendage closure devices currently in development.

BACKGROUND Intracranial hemorrhage is the most serious complication of anticoagulant therapy and is itself an absolute contraindication to further treatment. CASE REPORT We present the case of a 78-year-old patient with permanent atrial fibrillation and previous intracranial hemorrhage during oral anticoagulation therapy, who was a candidate for percutaneous closure of the left atrial appenda...

Atrial fibrillation increases the risk of thrombus formation. It is commonly responsible for cerebral stroke whereas less frequently for pulmonary embolism. The aim of the study was to describe the morphology of the left atrial appendage in the human heart with respect to sex, age and weight. Macroscopic examination was carried out on 100 left appendages taken from the hearts of the patients ag...

AIM We validated transthoracic echocardiographic measurements of left atrial appendage flow velocity by comparing them with transoesophageal echocardiographic measurements. METHODS AND RESULTS Eighty-four consecutive patients (mean age, 64.6 years) with various cardiac diseases, who underwent both transthoracic echocardiography and transoesophageal echocardiography were studied. Thirty-two pa...