Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Stroke Prevention

Abstract

IMPLEMENTING an effective patient-selection approach, integrating device choice, procedural planning, and patient follow-up, have proven crucial to the success of left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) therapy for atrial fibrillation (AF). This was the focus of the EuroPCR 2021 ‘Structural Theatre’ session, which compared LAAC and direct oral anticoagulant (DOAC) treatment avenues for stroke prevention. In this session, Patrick Calvert, from Royal Papworth Hospital in Cambridge, UK, gave a presentation on patient selection, alongside Ole De Backer of Copenhagen University Hospital, Denmark, who discussed device selection and planning using CT imagery. Ivan Kuntjoro, from the National University Heart Centre of Singapore, briefly outlined left atria morphology, and Farell Hellig of Sunninghill Hospital, Johannesburg, South Africa, introduced procedural plans in a step-by-step approach while performing a live procedure. The session was concluded by Edgar Tay, UK Royal College of Physicians, who gave his insights on several of these topics and concluded the stream with how to optimise patient follow-up care.