title: [Percutaneous closure of left atrial appendage: a new hope for patients with atrial fibrillation?].
abstract: Atrial fibrillation (AF) is the most common cardiac arrhythmia. The risk of thromboembolic events is important, and at that time, there is no definite treatment for AF. Oral anticoagulation also represents a hemorrhagic risk factor. Ninety percent of atrial thrombi are located within the left atrial appendage. The percutaneous closure of this left atrial appendage with a device has been shown to decrease thromboembolic events even after interruption of oral anticoagulation as compared to warfarin in a recent randomized study. Recent data support this innovative technique as a reasonable alternative to long term anticoagulation in patients at high risk of bleeding.
authors.affiliation: Service de cardiologie, CHUV, Lausanne. gregoire.girod@hopitalvs.ch
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Girod
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Delabays
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Eeckhout
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fromer
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Monney
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Vogt
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Pruvot
mesh_terms: D020517:Atrial Appendage / Q000601:surgery*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications*; D006348:Cardiac Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D012306:Risk; D013923:Thromboembolism / Q000209:etiology* / Q000517:prevention & control*