Impact of Left Atrial Appendage Amputation on Left Atrial Morphology and Rhythm after Off-Pump CABG

Author(s):  
Muhammed Gerçek ◽  
Mina Ghabrial ◽  
Lina Glaubitz ◽  
Oliver Kuss ◽  
Anas Aboud ◽  
...  

Abstract Objectives Left atrial appendage (LAA) amputation concomitant to coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) has become an increasingly performed technique in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) or with sinus rhythm and a CHA2DS2-VASc score ≥2. However, LAA amputation has come under suspicion to cause postoperative atrial fibrillation (POAF) due to left atrial (LA) dilation. This study aims to assess this assumption in patients undergoing CABG in off-pump technique with and without amputation of the LAA. Methods Patients who underwent isolated CABG in off-pump technique without history of AF were retrospectively examined. Cohorts were divided according to the concomitant execution of LAA amputation. LA volume was measured by transthoracic echocardiography and rhythm was analyzed by electrocardiography, medication protocol, and visit documentation. Propensity score (PS) matching was performed based on 20 preoperative risk variables to correct for selection bias. Results A total of 1,522 patients were enrolled, with 1,267 in the control group and 255 in the LAA amputation group. Occurrence of POAF was compared in 243 PS-matched patient pairs. Neither the unmatched cohort (odds ratio [OR] 0.82; 95% confidence interval or CI [0.61; 1.11], p = 0.19) nor the PS-matched cohort (OR 0.94; 95% CI [0.62; 1.41], p = 0.75) showed significant differences in POAF occurrence. Subgroup analysis of sex, use of β-blockers, pulmonary disease, ejection fraction, and CHA2DS2-VASc-Score also showed no tendencies. LA volume did not change significantly (p = 0.18, 95% CI [−0.29; 1.51]). Conclusion Surgical amputation of the LAA concomitant to CABG did not lead to LA dilation and has no significant impact on the occurrence of POAF.

Circulation ◽  
2014 ◽  
Vol 130 (suppl_2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdullah A Alissa ◽  
Yuko Inoue ◽  
Jochen Cammin ◽  
Qiulin Tang ◽  
Elliot Fishman ◽  
...  

Background: Atrial Fibrillation (AF) is associated with an increased risk of cardioembolic stroke. Previous studies demonstrate that the Left atrial appendage (LAA) is the most common site of intracardiac thrombus, and the LAA morphology alone may determine the risk of stroke. We aimed to determine the association between LAA regional dysfunction using novel, noninvasive, image-based motion-estimation CT (iME) and prior history of stroke in patients with AF. Methods: Among the patients with history of AF referred for ablation who underwent pre-ablation CT with retrospective ECG gating, we identified 18 patients with a prior history of stroke or TIA, and 18 age- and gender-matched controls. The patients in AF at the time of CT were excluded. Four-dimensional motion vector field was estimated from reconstructed CT images using iME at every 5% RR interval. To assess myocardial deformation, area change ratio and area change rate were calculated over the endocardial surface of the LA and LAA. Univariate and multivariate comparisons were made by using binary logistic regression model. Results: A total of 36 patients (mean age 67.6 ± 8.1 years, 66.7% male, 16.7% persistent AF) were included in the study. Univariate analysis showed that the LA pre-atrial contraction area change ratio and LAA maximum area change ratio were significantly lower (P= 0.02 and 0.04, respectively) in the stroke/TIA group compared to the control group. These changes remained statistically significant in multivariate analysis (P=0.03 and 0.04, respectively) after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index, LV ejection fraction, type of AF, and CHADS score. Conclusions: LAA regional dysfunction is associated with stroke/TIA in patients with AF. LAA regional dysfunction detected by iME could represent a marker for stroke and a possible therapeutic target.


BMJ Open ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. e044695
Author(s):  
Mu Chen ◽  
Qunshan Wang ◽  
Jian Sun ◽  
Peng-Pai Zhang ◽  
Wei Li ◽  
...  

IntroductionIt is the common clinical practice to prescribe indefinite aspirin for patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) post left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO). However, aspirin as a primary prevention strategy for cardiovascular diseases has recently been challenged due to increased risk of bleeding. Therefore, aspirin discontinuation after LAAO in atrial fibrillation (ASPIRIN LAAO) trial is designed to assess the uncertainty about the risks and benefits of discontinuing aspirin therapy at 6 months postimplantation with a Watchman LAAO device in NVAF patients.Methods and analysisThe ASPIRIN LAAO study is a prospective, multicentre, randomised, double-blinded, placebo-controlled non-inferiority trial. Patients implanted with a Watchman device within 6 months prior to enrollment and without pre-existing conditions requiring long-term aspirin therapy according to current guidelines are eligible for participating the trial. Subjects will be randomised in a 1:1 allocation ratio to either the Aspirin group (aspirin 100 mg/day) or the control group (placebo) at 6 months postimplantation. A total of 1120 subjects will be enrolled from 12 investigational sites in China. The primary composite endpoint is stroke, systemic embolism, cardiovascular/unexplained death, major bleeding, acute coronary syndrome and coronary or periphery artery disease requiring revascularisation at 24 months. Follow-up visits are scheduled at 6 and 12 months and then every 12 months until 24 months after the last patient recruitment.Ethics and disseminationEthics approval was obtained from the Ethics Committee of Xinhua Hospital, Shanghai, China (reference number XHEC-C-2018-065-5). The protocol is also submitted and approved by the institutional Ethics Committee at each participating centre. Results are expected in 2024 and will be disseminated through peer-reviewed journals and presentations at national and international conferences.Trial registration numberNCT03821883.


Circulation ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 142 (Suppl_3) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jonathan H Chung ◽  
Gordon Ho ◽  
Andrew Schluchter ◽  
Francisco Contijoch ◽  
Jonathan C Hsu ◽  
...  

Introduction: The formation of thrombus in the left atrial appendage (LAA) and risk for systemic embolization may result in part from stasis and poor blood volume emptying during atrial fibrillation (AF). Functional 4-dimensional computed tomography (4DCT) is a promising technique to measure LAA ejection fraction and blood volume emptying. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that the LAA ejection fraction measured by 4DCT is decreased during AF compared to sinus rhythm. Methods: 256-slice 4DCT scans obtained in patients for coronary artery imaging or pre-procedurally for AF, VT or SVT ablation procedures were analyzed retrospectively. In each patient, LAA volumes were measured at multiple phases during one cardiac cycle using segmentation software (ITK-SNAP and Osirix MD). LAA ejection fraction was calculated as the difference between minimum and maximum volumes and was analyzed using Wilcoxon rank sum. Results: Out of 54 patients, 37 patients were in sinus rhythm and 17 patients were in AF. Between NSR vs. AF, mean age was 69.1±12.8 vs 73.2±11.5 years (p=0.13), 28% vs 36% female (p=0.54), LVEF was 58±11% vs 60±9% (p=0.95), and echo-derived left atrial volume index was 29.5±6.1 ml/m2 vs 41.7±12.8 ml/m2 (p=0.06). Patients who were in sinus rhythm during their CT scan had a higher LAA ejection fraction than those who were in AF (58±13% vs. 29±9%, p<0.0001). For patients who were in AF during their CT scan, there was no difference in LAA ejection fraction between patients with a history of paroxysmal AF compared to patients with a history of persistent AF (30±10% vs. 28±10%, p=0.75). Conclusions: Analysis of the LAA volumes using functional cardiac CT is a feasible method to quantify blood volume emptying from the LAA. Patients in AF were observed to have significantly decreased LAA ejection fraction and blood volume emptying compared to patients in sinus rhythm. Further studies are needed to determine whether this technique may improve personalized risk stratification for stroke.


2021 ◽  
Vol 2021 ◽  
pp. 1-7
Author(s):  
Bin-Feng Mo ◽  
Rui Zhang ◽  
Jia-Li Yuan ◽  
Jian Sun ◽  
Peng-Pai Zhang ◽  
...  

Background. Combined atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation and left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) has been practiced for management of both the symptoms and the high stroke risk of AF. Data of the combined procedure in selected patients with prior stroke are limited. The aim of this study is to compare the safety and efficacy of combined catheter ablation and LAAC between AF patients with and without prior stroke. Methods and Results. This retrospective study enrolled 296 patients who underwent combined procedures of AF ablation and LAAC. Patients were divided into two groups: 81 patients with prior stroke (Stroke group) and 215 patients without prior stroke (Control group). Combined procedures were successfully performed in all the patients. Patients in the Stroke group had higher CHA2DS2-VASc scores (4.9 ± 1.2 vs. 3.2 ± 1.0, P < 0.001 ) and higher HAS-BLED scores (3.5 ± 1.1 vs. 3.0 ± 1.0, P < 0.001 ) compared with those in the Control group. Procedure-related complications in the Stroke group included two pericardial effusions and two groin hematomas, which did not differ significantly fromthe Control group (4.9% vs. 4.2%, P = 0.778 ). After a mean follow-up of 20 months, the AF-free rate of the Stroke group was comparable with that of the Control group (64.2% vs. 68.4%, P = 0.495 ). The relative risk reductions in stroke and bleeding (observed rate compared to that predicted from the CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores) were 80% and 79%, respectively, in the Stroke group, and 62% and 62%, respectively, in the Control group. Conclusions. The combination of catheter ablation and LAAC is safe and efficient in selected AF patients with prior stroke. It was observed that patients with prior stroke may benefit more from risk reductions of stroke and bleeding following the combined procedure.


2019 ◽  
Vol 68 (08) ◽  
pp. 695-699 ◽  
Author(s):  
Soslan Enginoev ◽  
Dmitry Koz'min ◽  
Gasan Magomedov ◽  
Sergey Makeev ◽  
Igor Chernov ◽  
...  

Abstract Objective The main purpose of this article is to evaluate an impact of epicardial ligation of the left atrial appendage (LAA) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) undergoing off-pump coronary artery bypass grafting (OPCAB) on the development of ischemic stroke and mortality. Methods From 2009 to 2013, a total of 125 patients (86.4% men, mean age 64 ± 7 years, 95% confidence interval: 61–65 years) received a combined OPCAB and LAA ligation because of coronary artery disease and AF. All the subjects were divided into two groups: group 1 (n = 57)—LAA ligation during OPCAB, group 2 (n = 68) without LAA ligation during OPCAB. Primary endpoints were postoperative incidence of ischemic stroke and mortality. Results No difference in the number of ischemic stroke (0 vs. 5.9%) and death (0 vs. 4.4%) in both groups during the hospital period (p > 0.05). Median overall follow-up was 41 (22–61) months: without difference for groups (p > 0.05). During follow-up, there was a difference in the number of ischemic stroke (0 vs. 17.6%, p < 0.001), while there was no difference in mortality in two study groups (5.3 vs. 16.2%, p > 0.05). Conclusion Epicardial ligation of LAA during OPCAB in patients with AF may reduce the risk of ischemic stroke in long-term follow-up and does not affect the mortality.


2022 ◽  
Author(s):  
Changsheng Ma ◽  
Li Wang ◽  
Yuzhu Miao ◽  
Jiali Fan ◽  
Bingyuan Zhou ◽  
...  

Abstract Background: Left atrial appendage (LAA) spontaneous echocardiographic contrast (SEC), sludge and thrombus were associated with a high incidence of thrombus formation and thromboembolic events in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF). We aim to identify the main echocardiographic parameters associated with LAA SEC or LAA sludge/thrombus in nonvalvular AF patients.Methods and results: 298 patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation were included in the current study between September 2019 and January 2021. Transthoracic echocardiography and transesophageal echocardiography were performed before scheduled electrical cardioversion. LA diameter and maximum left atrial appendage area were increased in the LAA SEC group than control group, and were further increased in patients with LAA sludge or thrombus. LAA-EV, LAA-FV, anterior mitral annular plane systolic excursion (MAPSE) and LAA FAC were lower in the group with LAA SEC than control group, and were further reduced in LAA sludge or thrombus group. Lower LAA FAC and anterior MAPSE were associated with an increased risk of LAA SEC or LAA sludge/thrombus, and LAA FAC and anterior MAPSE showed high accuracy on predicting LAA SEC or LAA sludge/thrombus.Conclusion: Left atrial appendage FAC and anterior MAPSE improves left atrial appendage stasis in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation.


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