Left atrial laceration with epicardial ligation device
Recommended Citation
Keating VP, Kolibash CP, Khandheria BK, Bajwa T, Sra J, Kress DC. Left atrial laceration with epicardial ligation device. Ann Thorac Cardiovasc Surg. 2014;20 Suppl:904-8.
Abstract
Many new devices and techniques are being developed to attempt a reduction in embolic stroke risk for patients with atrial fibrillation who are either unable or unwilling to maintain long-term anticoagulation. One of these new devices (LARIAT(®), SentreHEART Inc., Redwood City, California, USA) employs delivery of an epicardial suture to ligate the left atrial appendage after percutaneous pericardial and transseptal access. This series presents three clinical cases that demonstrate a serious and recurrent complication of left atrial laceration and cardiac tamponade shortly following delivery of an epicardial suture ligation to the left atrial appendage. Three clinical cases are described in detail with pre- and postprocedure angiography and echocardiography as well as illustrations reflecting the surgeon's findings on direct visualization of the left atrial lacerations postligation. Potential hypotheses of each injury are examined in light of the case timelines and findings at sternotomy. There was no suggestion that tamponade was related to pericardial or transseptal access, but rather a complication with device delivery. These three patients quickly progressed to clinical cardiac tamponade despite attempted drainage, stressing the importance of cardiovascular surgery backup, including a cardiopulmonary bypass pump, when delivering novel, percutaneous ligation devices for the left atrial appendage.
Document Type
Article
PubMed ID
24200669
Affiliations
Aurora Cardiovascular Services, Aurora Sinai/Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Centers, Aurora Medical Group-Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Aurora St. Luke’s Medical Center