title: The role of echocardiography in percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusion.
abstract: Percutaneous device closure of the left atrial appendage (LAA) has been introduced in the last decade as a minimally invasive alternative treatment to long-term anticoagulation to reduce the risk of thrombo-embolism in patients with atrial fibrillation. Echocardiography is an essential tool at all stages of the procedure. Pre-procedural echocardiography is used to screen suitable candidates and to define LAA morphology and dimension; peri-procedural transoesophageal or intracardiac echocardiography has a major role in guiding, delivery, and deployment of the device, for screening of procedural complications and for assessing procedural success; and post-procedural echocardiography is important in the surveillance and monitoring of long-term outcome. This article aims to outline the role of echocardiography at each stage of LAA occlusion.
authors: Department of Cardiovascular Medicine, University of Birmingham, and Department of Cardiology, University Hospital Birmingham NHS Foundation Trust, Birmingham, UK.
authors: Colin D
authors: CD
authors: Chue
authors: Joseph
authors: J
authors: de Giovanni
authors: Richard P
authors: RP
authors: Steeds
mesh_terms: D020517:Atrial Appendage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications / Q000628:therapy*; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D019919:Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods*; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*