title: Percutaneous left atrial appendage closure: Technical aspects and prevention of periprocedural complications with the watchman device.
abstract: Transcatheter closure of the left atrial appendage has been developed as an alternative to chronic oral anticoagulation for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation, and as a primary therapy for patients with contraindications to chronic oral anticoagulation. The promise of this new intervention compared with warfarin has been supported by several, small studies and two pivotal randomized trial with the Watchman Device. The results regarding risk reduction for stroke have been favourable although acute complications were not infrequent. Procedural complications, which are mainly related to transseptal puncture and device implantation, include air embolism, pericardial effusions/tamponade and device embolization. Knowledge of nature, management and prevention of complications should minimize the risk of complications and allow transcatheter left atrial appendage closure to emerge as a therapeutic option for patients with atrial fibrillation at risk for cardioembolic stroke.
authors.affiliation: Sven Möbius-Winkler, Nicolas Majunke, Marcus Sandri, Norman Mangner, Axel Linke, Gerhard Schuler, Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, University of Leipzig, Heart Center, 04251 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Sven
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Möbius-Winkler
authors.affiliation: Sven Möbius-Winkler, Nicolas Majunke, Marcus Sandri, Norman Mangner, Axel Linke, Gerhard Schuler, Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, University of Leipzig, Heart Center, 04251 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Majunke
authors.affiliation: Sven Möbius-Winkler, Nicolas Majunke, Marcus Sandri, Norman Mangner, Axel Linke, Gerhard Schuler, Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, University of Leipzig, Heart Center, 04251 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Marcus
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sandri
authors.affiliation: Sven Möbius-Winkler, Nicolas Majunke, Marcus Sandri, Norman Mangner, Axel Linke, Gerhard Schuler, Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, University of Leipzig, Heart Center, 04251 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Norman
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Mangner
authors.affiliation: Sven Möbius-Winkler, Nicolas Majunke, Marcus Sandri, Norman Mangner, Axel Linke, Gerhard Schuler, Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, University of Leipzig, Heart Center, 04251 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Axel
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Linke
authors.affiliation: Sven Möbius-Winkler, Nicolas Majunke, Marcus Sandri, Norman Mangner, Axel Linke, Gerhard Schuler, Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, University of Leipzig, Heart Center, 04251 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Gregg W
authors.initials: GW
authors.lastname: Stone
authors.affiliation: Sven Möbius-Winkler, Nicolas Majunke, Marcus Sandri, Norman Mangner, Axel Linke, Gerhard Schuler, Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, University of Leipzig, Heart Center, 04251 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Ingo
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Dähnert
authors.affiliation: Sven Möbius-Winkler, Nicolas Majunke, Marcus Sandri, Norman Mangner, Axel Linke, Gerhard Schuler, Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, University of Leipzig, Heart Center, 04251 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Gerhard
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Schuler
authors.affiliation: Sven Möbius-Winkler, Nicolas Majunke, Marcus Sandri, Norman Mangner, Axel Linke, Gerhard Schuler, Department of Internal Medicine/Cardiology, University of Leipzig, Heart Center, 04251 Leipzig, Germany.
authors.forename: Peter B
authors.initials: PB
authors.lastname: Sick
keywords: Atrial fibrillation; Complications; Left atrial appendage; Stroke prevention; WATCHMAN® device