ABSTRACT
The transcatheter left atrial appendage occluding device, WATCHMAN, can be used to prevent thromboembolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation who are at high risk of bleeding during anticoagulation. We report an emergent surgical case of cardiac tamponade due to the left atrial appendage perforation with the WATCHMAN device implantation. An 83-year-old woman with recurrent paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (CHA2DS2-VASc score 4, HAS-BLED score 3) after catheter ablation was scheduled for the WATCHMAN device implantation. During implantation, the patient developed cardiac tamponade and underwent emergent surgery with cardiopulmonary bypass for active bleeding despite pericardial drainage. The bleeding was caused by the left atrial appendage perforation, and suture exclusion of the left atrial appendage was performed.
ABSTRACT
Objective:To investigate the relationship between Watchman occluder and structure of mitral valve apparatus in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation after left atrial appendage closure(LAAC) by transesophageal echocardiography.Methods:From January 2018 to December 2020, 29 patients [20 male, 9 female, (69.55±10.06)years old] with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation underwent LAAC in Zhongshan Hospital (implanted Watchman occluder), and all patients underwent pre-operative and follow-up two and three dimensional transesophageal echocardiography(2DTEE, 3DTEE) at 60 days after the operation. The quantitative parameters of mitral valve apparatus were obtained by offline analysis using the MVA module in QLab 13.0 (Philips Healthcare, Andover, MA), the differences between pre-operation and post-operation were compared, and the relationship between occluder compression ratio and mitral valve parameters with significant changes after operation was analyzed.Results:①The values of AL-PM diameter(AL-PM), 3D annulus circumference(3DAC), 2D annulus area(2DAA), 3D annulus area(3DAA), tenting volume(TnV), tenting area(TnA) and commissural diameter(CD) decreased significantly compared with pre-operative values(all P<0.05), while the annulus sphericity index(SPI) increased significantly ( P<0.05). ②In the quantitative mitral value parameters with significant pre- and post-operation changes, TnV was correlated with the occluder compression ratio ( r=0.403, P=0.030), but AL-PM, SPI, 3DAC, 2DAA, 3DAA, TnA, CD were not correlated with it(all P>0.05). Conclusions:3DTEE can accurately evaluate the effect of Watchman occluder on the morphology of mitral valve device. Implanting Watchman occluder in left atrial appendage can make three-dimensional mitral valve apparatus flat and decrease annulus left-right diameter and annulus area; the pre-operative TnV, the more susceptible to the occluder implantation, and TnV is correlated with the compression ratio.
ABSTRACT
Stroke continues to be a major cause of morbidity and mortality in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients. Oral anticoagulation (OAC) provides protection against stroke and peripheral embolization in AF but significant proportion of patients could not be started on anticoagulation because of bleeding complications. Left atrial appendage harbors clot in about 90% of nonvalvular AF. The advent of left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) techniques has provided these patients with alternative to OAC for stroke prophylaxis. Multiple LAAO devices are currently available with Watchman and Amulet being the most commonly used in clinical practice. Randomized studies are available for Watchman device only. Data on Amplatzer Cardiac Plug, Amulet and Lariat devices are limited by the paucity of randomized data. Long-term data on different LAAO techniques are showing promising results. Device related thrombosis continues to be a serious complication associated with LAAO. Future studies should look into comparative effectiveness between different LAAO techniques, optimal patient selection, risk of complications, and anticoagulant treatment after LAAO. This article aims to provide current available evidence on efficacy and safety of different LAAO devices and future prospective.
Subject(s)
Humans , Atrial Appendage , Atrial Fibrillation , Hemorrhage , Mortality , Patient Selection , Prospective Studies , Stroke , ThrombosisABSTRACT
Objective To evaluate the clinical application value of 2-dimentional transesophogeal echocardiography (2D-TEE) ,real-time 3-dimensional transesophogeal echocardiography(RT-3D TEE) and left atrial appendage CT angiography ( LAA CTA ) before percutaneous left atrial appendage closure ( LAAC) with the Watchman occluder . Methods Consecutive 50 atrial fibrillation ( AF) patients underwent 2D-TEE ,RT-3D TEE and LAA CTA examination before LAAC . The number of LAA lobes ,the diameter of landing zone (DLZ) and the depth of LAA were measured by using different methods . The correlation between LAA landing zone diameters measured by different methods and device size were calculated . Results Among 50 patients ,there was no significant difference in lobe nubmers between RT-3D TEE and LAA CTA ( P >0 .05) . The maximum diameter of landing zone(DLZ) from LAA CTA was greater than those from RT-3D TEE and 2D-TEE ( t =3 .977 ,5 .373 ,both P<0 .05) ,and DLZ from RT-3D TEE was greater than that from 2D-TEE ( t=2 .124 , P <0 .05) . The value measured by RT-3D TEE was greater than that by 2D-TEE for the LAA minimum DLZ ( t =2 .142 , P < 0 .05) . LAA depth:CTA value was greater than 2D-TEE and RT-3D TEE values( t =2 .674 ,4 .066 ,both P < 0 .05) ,and 2D-TEE value was greater than RT-3D TEE value( t =2 .114 , P <0 .05) . The correlation coefficient of LAA maximum ,minimum DLZ and LAA depth between 2D-TEE and RT-3D TEE were 0 .638 ,0 .734 ,0 .647 ( all P =0 .000) ,and 0 .517 ,0 .338 and 0 .591 between RT-3D TEE and LAA CTA ,respectively ( all P <0 .05) ,and 0 .503 ,0 .359 and 0 .610 between 2D-TEE and LAA CTA ,respectively ( all P < 0 .05) . LAA DLZ of LAA angiography ( LAA-A) was ( 22 .6 ± 3 .5 ) mm . Fourty-seven AF patients achieved successful LAA occlusion with Watchman device and the size of closure was ( 27 .5 ± 3 .3) mm . Correlation coefficient between the size of device and LAA maximum DLZ by RT-3D TEE ,2D-TEE and LAA CTA were 0 .693 ,0 .647 ,0 .586 , respectively (all P = 0 .000) . Correlation between LAA-A and the size of device was the closest ( r =0 .914 , P =0 .000) .Conclusions The difference in LAA size measured by TEE and LAA CTA could be significant ,and need to be considered before the LAAC . 2D-TEE , RT-3D TEE and CTA LAA measurements all could play important roles in the selection of proper Watchman device size ,and the maximum DLZ of RT-3D TEE has the closest correlation with Watchman device size .