introduction left atrial thrombi are present in one third of patients with severe rheumatic mitral stenosis and atrial fibrillation. a left atrial mass can be diagnosed as a thrombus by transthoracic echocardiography in the presence of the predisposing factors for a thrombus such as mitral stenosis and atrial fibrillation. the sensitivity of transthoracic echocardiography for detecting left atr...

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...

A patient with atrial tachycardia presented with dyspnoea on exertion. Transoesophageal echocardiography revealed idiopathic left atrial appendage stenosis. The mouth of the atrial appendage was narrowed, and there was a high velocity to and fro jet between the left atrial body and the left atrial appendage. The study, therefore, suggested isolated left atrial appendage orifice stenosis.

Ischemic stroke is a common complication of atrial fibrillation (AF). Currently, oral anticoagulant drugs are the most commonly used method of stroke prevention. Left atrial appendage occlusion is thought to be the main source of thrombi in patients with AF. Percutaneous left atrial appendage is a valuable therapeutic option for selected high-risk patients with AF and contraindications for oral...

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 ...

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...

a 51-year-old man was admitted to the emergency department with palpitation and atypical chest pain. he had a history of percutaneous mitral valve commissurotomy 20 years previously. he did not use any drugs. physical examination was unremarkable except for a loud s1 on auscultation. the surface electrocardiogram (ecg) showed atrial fibrillation rhythmwith rapid ventricular response and right b...

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...

OBJECTIVE Atrial fibrillation puts patients at significant risk for embolic stroke originating from the left atrial appendage. Few means are available for safe, effective, and durable left atrial appendage occlusion. A new clip device was evaluated with regard to safety and effectiveness for epicardial left atrial appendage occlusion. METHODS Patients with atrial fibrillation undergoing elect...