Post-Approval US Experience With Left Atrial Appendage Closure for Stroke Prevention in Atrial Fibrillation

Document Type

Article

Publication Date

1-24-2017

Publication Title

Journal of the American College of Cardiology

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) as a stroke prevention alternative to warfarin for patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. However, clinical decision-making is confounded by the fact that although LAAC attenuates the anticoagulant-related lifetime risk of bleeding, implantation is associated with upfront complications. Thus, enthusiasm for LAAC as a treatment option has been appropriately tempered, particularly as the therapy is introduced beyond the clinical trial sites into general clinical practice.

OBJECTIVES: This study evaluated the acute procedural performance and complication rates for all cases performed in the United States since FDA approval.

METHODS: In the absence of a formal national clinical registry since regulatory approval in March 2015, we obtained procedural data on implantation procedures. Every LAAC procedure requires the presence of a manufacturer clinical specialist and for procedural parameter and periprocedural complication data to be collected using a standardized process and forms.

RESULTS: In 3,822 consecutive cases, implantation was successful in 3,653 (95.6%), with a median procedure time of 50 min (range 10 to 210 min). Implanting physicians performing these procedures (n = 382) included 71% new, nonclinical trial implanters, who performed 50% of the procedures. Procedural complication rates included 39 pericardial tamponades (1.02%) (24 treated percutaneously, 12 surgically, and 3 fatal); 3 procedure-related strokes (0.078%); 9 device embolizations (0.24%) (6 requiring surgical removal); and 3 procedure-related deaths (0.078%).

CONCLUSIONS: Despite a large fraction of previously inexperienced operators, in the real-world post-FDA approval experience of LAAC, procedural success was high and complication rates were low.

Medical Subject Headings

Atrial Appendage; Atrial Fibrillation; Equipment and Supplies; Humans; Postoperative Complications; Stroke; Treatment Outcome; United States

PubMed ID

27816552

Volume

69

Issue

3

First Page

253

Last Page

261

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