Heart Within a Heart

Overview

Journal J Cardiovasc Ultrasound

Specialty Cardiology & Vascular Diseases

Date 2016 Apr 16

PMID 27081446

Authors

Tarun Jain

Jainil Shah

Sunay Shah

Shalini Modi

Affiliations

Soon will be listed here.

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.

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