Percutaneous left atrial appendage closure for stroke prevention in patients with atrial fibrillation: Current status and future perspective

Abstract

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is one of the most preva lent arrythmias worldwide and associated with an increased risk of stroke and systemic thromboembolism. Stroke pre vention with direct oral anticoagulation (DOAC) is recom mended in patients with non-valvular AF (NVAF) at high risk of stroke. WATCHMAN TM percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) device is currently introduced as an alternative to DOAC for patients with NVAF ineligi ble for long-term administration of DOAC due to high risk of bleeding. This review article may contribute to recognize the paradigm shift in which stroke prevention should be carried out topically but not systemically, because left atrial appendage (LAA) is the main source of thrombus formation in AF patients. In addition, this review article introduces the current knowledge and future perspective of LAAC strategy and technology.