The international journal of cardiovascular imaging
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Int J Cardiovasc Imaging · Oct 2019
Left atrial appendage orifice diameter measured with trans-esophageal echocardiography is independently related with peri-device leakage after Watchman device implantation.
Percutaneous left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) has emerged as an alternative of stroke prevention in non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF) patients. Peri-device leakage after LAAC is common. This retrospective, case-control study aimed to identify risk factors related with peri-device leakage after LAAC with Watchman devices. ⋯ Using the TEE orifice size cutoff value of 18.7 mm yielded a sensitivity of 0.92 (specificity 0.52), while the cutoff value of 23.1 mm yielded a high specificity of 0.91 (sensitivity 0.24). Minor peri-device leakage ( < 5 mm) is common after LAAC with Watchman devices. LAA orifice diameter measured with TEE is the independent risk factor predicting peri-device leakage after the implantation.