“Appending” onto left-sided thoracoscopic operations: An obvious two-for-one bargain?

Since the left atrial appendage (LAA) was identified as the thromboembolic source in at least 90% of nonvalvular atrial fibrillation –related strokes,1 excluding this appendage has been the subject of a seemingly endless number of clinical trials, surgical techniques, and occlusive devices. Inoue and Suematsu2 contribute a technical corollary in exploiting the surgical access afforded by video-assisted thoracoscopic left lobect omy to perform concomitant epicardial occlusion of the LAA for patients with atrial fibrillation.

Source: The Journal of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery - August 14, 2018 Category: Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery Authors: David D. Yuh Tags: Adult: Arrhythmias: Letter to the Editor Source Type: research