Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion

Left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion is a method of preventing strokes for selected patients who are at a high risk for having a stroke but who cannot take blood thinning medications. These patients have a disorganized and irregular heartbeat called atrial fibrillation, a disturbance in the electrical system that keeps the heartbeat regular. Atrial fibrillation usually is treated with medication or electrical ablation of the part of the heart that is causing an abnormal heart rhythm. Blood clots in the left atrial appendage are the source of most strokes from atrial fibrillation. The left atrium is the heart's upper left chamber. The LAA is a small pouch of tissue remaining from a baby's development in the womb. When people have atrial fibrillation, blood tends to pool in the LAA, creating favorable conditions for the blood to clot. Some 15% to 20% of people with atrial fibrillation have a stroke, with most of them due to clots that formed in the LAA. Occlusion to seal off the appendage done either during heart surgery or with a device inserted through a catheter, usually in the upper leg. The device is guided to the left atrium, where it permanently plugs the LAA. 





Images and Videos







View Clinical Trials