Percutaneous closure of the left atrial appendage in atrial fibrillation: an alternative if standard treatment fails?

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a frequently observed arrhythmia. Its incidence increases with age, reaching approximately 10% in octogenarians. Furthermore, AF is responsible for 15% of all ischemic strokes and up to 25% of all ischemic strokes in octogenarians. In patients with nonrheumatic AF, 90% of all thrombi in the left atrium are found in the left atrial appendage (LAA). In most cases of AF in particular, the administration of oral anticoagulants (OACs) is warranted. To guide the usage of OACs in AF patients, the CHADS2 score (C: congestive heart failure, H: hypertension, A: age greater than or equal to 75 years, D: diabetes, S: prior stroke or transient ischemic attack) was developed; a..