EWOLUTION – The Next Evolution in Appendage Closure?

Oral anticoagulation (OAC) is a class I indication for patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) and 2 or more risk factors for stroke.1 However, many patients with AF are ineligible for OAC due to prohibitive bleeding. Subsequently, as a result of the pivotal role of the left atrial appendage (LAA) in the formation of thrombi, an alternative strategy to OAC is occlusion of the LAA.2 The WATCHMAN device (Boston Scientific Corporation, Marlborough, Massachusetts) is the only FDA approved LAA occlusion product studied in the randomized control trials (RCT) (Table 1).

Source: Heart Rhythm - June 22, 2017 Category: Cardiology Authors: Muhammad R. Afzal, Emile G. Daoud Source Type: research