Left Atrial Appendage Closure Under Intracardiac Echocardiographic Guidance: Feasibility and Comparison With Transesophageal Echocardiography.
Transcatheter left atrial appendage closure is an alternative therapy for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation patients. These procedures are currently guided with transesophageal echocardiography and fluoroscopy in most centers. As intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) is commonly used in other catheter-based procedures, we sought to determine the safety and effectiveness of intracardiac echocardiography-guided left atrial appendage closure with the Watchman device.



A total of 27 patients (11 males, 77.0±8.5 years) with atrial fibrillation receiving Watchman left atrial appendage closure under intracardiac echocardiography guidance at a single center were investigated. All patients were implanted successfully. There were no major procedural complications. The overall procedure-related complication rate was 14.8%, mainly due to access site hematoma. Transesophageal echocardiography demonstrated successful closure of the left atrial appendage in all patients at 45 days after device implant.



Transcatheter left atrial appendage closure with intracardiac echocardiography guidance is safe and feasible.
Department of Cardiology, Nemocnice Na Homolce-Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic Department of Cardiology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan baroslinde@yahoo.co.jp.
Yae
Y
Matsuo
Department of Cardiology, Nemocnice Na Homolce-Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic.
Petr
P
Neuzil
Department of Cardiology, Nemocnice Na Homolce-Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic.
Jan
J
Petru
Department of Cardiology, Nemocnice Na Homolce-Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic.
Milan
M
Chovanec
Department of Cardiology, Nemocnice Na Homolce-Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic.
Marek
M
Janotka
Department of Cardiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY.
Subbarao
S
Choudry
Department of Cardiology, Nemocnice Na Homolce-Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic.
Jan
J
Skoda
Department of Cardiology, Nemocnice Na Homolce-Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic.
Lucie
L
Sediva
Department of Cardiology, Gunma University Graduate School of Medicine, Maebashi, Japan.
Masahiko
M
Kurabayashi
Department of Cardiology, Nemocnice Na Homolce-Homolka Hospital, Prague, Czech Republic Department of Cardiology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, NY.
Vivek Y
VY
Reddy
D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D020517:Atrial Appendage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000601:surgery*; D001281:Atrial Fibrillation / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D006328:Cardiac Catheterization; D057791:Cardiac Imaging Techniques / Q000379:methods*; D004452:Echocardiography / Q000379:methods; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal / Q000379:methods*; D057510:Endovascular Procedures; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007430:Intraoperative Care; D008297:Male; D019736:Prostheses and Implants; D020521:Stroke / Q000209:etiology / Q000517:prevention & control*; D025321:Surgery, Computer-Assisted / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome
intracardiac echocardiography; left atrial appendage closure; stroke prevention
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