Left Atrial Appendage Closure (LAAC)
Left atrial appendage closure (LAAC), a procedure that reduces stroke risk in people with atrial fibrillation not caused by a heart valve problem, is being performed at the Commonwealth Health Heart & Vascular Institute at Regional Hospital of Scranton.
The LAAC device is a parachute-shaped, self-expanding device that closes the left atrial appendage, or LAA, where 90 percent of stroke-causing clots originate. It is an alternative for patients who have non-valve-related atrial fibrillation and who cannot tolerate treatment with warfarin, an anticoagulant. Atrial fibrillation, or AFib, is an irregular, often rapid heart rate that can commonly cause poor blood flow. The left atrial appendage closure device is inserted through the femoral (leg) vein. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia in a cardiac cath lab and takes about an hour. Patients usually are hospitalized for one day. It is the only device of its kind approved by the FDA. Warfarin must be continued after the procedure until a follow up exam shows that the appendage is closed.
Patients can be referred to the following Commonwealth Health physicians for this procedure:
- Gary Langieri, M.D.
- Nishant Sethi, M.D.
- Matthew Stopper, M.D.