Heart within a Heart

Authors

Tarun Jain, Henry Ford HealthFollow
Jainil Shah
S Shah
Shalini S. Modi, Henry Ford HealthFollow

Recommended Citation

Jain T, Shah J, Shah S, Modi S. Heart within a heart. J Cardiovasc Ultrasound. Mar 2016;24(1):60-63.

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

3-1-2016

Publication Title

J Cardiovasc Ultrasound

Abstract

Device based closure of the left atrial appendage (LAA) has emerged as a viable approach for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation (AF) patients with contraindications to chronic oral anticoagulation. One of the most feared complications is device related thrombus formation. We present a 66-year-old male with chronic AF who developed a life-threatening intracranial bleed on oral anti-coagulation. He subsequently underwent LAA closure using an Amplatzer muscular ventricular septal defect closure device for stroke prevention. However, he was found to have a large thrombus attached to the device a year later. We present a review of the various LAA closure devices, importance of periodic surveillance via echocardiography and management options to prevent this complication. Also, the case highlights the importance of contrast-enhance echocardiography in diagnosis of LAA closure device thrombus.

PubMed ID

27081446

Volume

24

Issue

1

First Page

60

Last Page

63