Caged-in: Successful percutaneous closure of left atrial appendage with Watchman-FLX in the presence of proximal thrombus.
Briosa E Gala A., Pope MTB., Newton JD., Dawkins S., Betts TR.
Percutaneous mechanical closure of the left atrial appendage (LAA) is a valuable stroke prevention strategy in patients with atrial fibrillation and contraindication to oral anticoagulation. LAA thrombus is a common finding in patients with atrial fibrillation and frequently fails to resolve despite therapeutic anticoagulation. In this scenario, LAA occlusion device implant is generally discouraged due to the high risk of thrombus dislodgement and embolization; however, alternative management options are limited. We report the first case of a successful LAA occlusion device (Watchman-FLX) implant in the presence of a proximal thrombus.