Abstract
Many new devices and techniques are being developed to attempt a reduction in embolic stroke risk for patients with atrial fibrillation who are either unable or unwilling to maintain long-term anticoagulation. One of these new devices (LARIAT®, SentreHEART Inc., Redwood City, California, USA) employs delivery of an epicardial suture to ligate the left atrial appendage after percutaneous pericardial and transseptal access. This series presents three clinical cases that demonstrate a serious and recurrent complication of left atrial laceration and cardiac tamponade shortly following delivery of an epicardial suture ligation to the left atrial appendage. Three clinical cases are described in detail with pre- and postprocedure angiography and echocardiography as well as illustrations reflecting the surgeon's findings on direct visualization of the left atrial lacerations postligation. Potential hypotheses of each injury are examined in light of the case timelines and findings at sternotomy. There was no suggestion that tamponade was related to pericardial or transseptal access, but rather a complication with device delivery. These three patients quickly progressed to clinical cardiac tamponade despite attempted drainage, stressing the importance of cardiovascular surgery backup, including a cardiopulmonary bypass pump, when delivering novel, percutaneous ligation devices for the left atrial appendage.
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
