Thoracoscopic Left Atrial Appendage Excision plus Ablation for Atrial Fibrillation to Prevent Stroke

Atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with a previous stroke are often at a high risk of recurrent stroke and bleeding. Anticoagulation therapy in such patients is a challenging dilemma. Thoracoscopic left atrial appendage excision (LAAE) plus AF ablation is an interventional approach offered to some AF patients. We hypothesized that this approach may be suitable as a secondary stroke prevention strategy for these high-risk patients. Between January 2013 and December 2016, a total of 44 patients (26 male; mean age 65.0 ±9.1 years) with nonvalvular AF and a previous stroke or systemic thromboembolic event were enrolled.

Source: Seminars in Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery - July 1, 2020 Category: Cardiovascular & Thoracic Surgery Authors: Buqing Ni, Zidun Wang, Weidong Gu, Mingfang Li, Minglong Chen, Gregory Y.H. Lip, Yongfeng Shao Tags: ADULT – Original Submission Source Type: research