ALERT!

This site is not optimized for Internet Explorer 8 (or older).

Please upgrade to a newer version of Internet Explorer or use an alternate browser such as Chrome or Firefox.

Left Atrial Appendage Patency at Cardioversion After Surgical Left Atrial Appendage Intervention

Wednesday, October 14, 2015

Submitted by

Arie Blitz

Source

Source Name: Annals of Thoracic Surgery

Source URL: http://www.annalsthoracicsurgery.org/article/S0003-4975(15)01284-9/abstract

Author(s)

Michael W. Cullen, MD, John M. Stulak, MD, Zhuo Li, Brian D. Powell, MD, Roger D. White, MD, Naser M. Ammash, MD, Vuyisile T. Nkomo, MD, MPH

The authors retrospectively reviewed the postoperative TEEs on patients undergoing DCCV within 30 days after cardiac surgery that included LAA closure (n=93 patients). The presence of a residual communication between the LAA and the left atrium was 37% overall. The LAA patency rates according to LAA technique were as follows: amputation, 0%; suture closure, 51%; staple exclusion, 29%. These results beg the question: should the appendage always be amputated?