Left Atrial Appendage Closure (LAA)

The Left Atrial Appendage is a small pouch, shaped like a windsock, found in the top left of your heart( the Left Atrium). Like your appendix, your Left Atrial Appendage doesn’t really have a clear role to play in your body.

In Atrial Fibrillation, the heart beats very rapidly, causing blood clots that can lead to strokes. In such life-threatening situations, a leading cardiac electrophysiologist may suggest the Left Atrial Appendage Closure or Left Atrial Appendage Occluder(LAAO) to minimise the risk of stroke.

This minimally invasive procedure closes the opening to the left atrial appendage to prevent blood clots that break off from here from swimming into your bloodstream. If you have suffered from A-Fib and are at an increased risk of a stroke, blood thinners may be prescribed as a precautionary measure. Unfortunately, however, if you are at risk of falling or bleeding out, he may recommend the LAA closure, which is a better option than blood thinners.

The primary objective of this procedure is to close your left atrial appendage, a small sac attached to the left atrium wall and reduce the risk of a stroke.

With his wide-ranging experience in Cardiology, Dr. Karthigesan has successfully treated innumerable patients with various cardiac complications. He is a one-of-a-kind doctor who believes in and practices compassionate, empathetic care coupled with the latest cardiac treatments. His expertise includes interventional cardiology, device therapy and various other life-saving treatments for your heart.

• To prepare you for your LAA closure, Dr. Karthigesan will recommend a TEE or Transesophageal Echocardiogram.
• This test will allow him to assess the LAA dimensions. This information is vital because the left atrial appendage dimensions vary for everyone.
• TEE images to ensure your heart is free of life-threatening clots.

• Different techniques are used to close or seal off the LAA of the heart, a rudimentary appendage with no function or purpose. However, for those with A-Fib, the LAA is the main location for blood clot risks because of the low blood flow to the sac.
• LAA closure is the catheter-based keyhole procedure done from the groin under sedation or general anaesthesia.
• A blot clot moving out of the LAA is sent to the left ventricle, which is the heart’s primary pumping chamber. If left untreated, this blood clot can travel to the brain and cause potentially profound implications.
• By closing off the LA appendage, the risk of blood clots is considerably reduced. The LAA closure also does not hamper the normal functioning of the heart.