Left atrial appendage occlusion is a generally safe and effective procedure to lower the risk of stroke in people with atrial fibrillation. It closes or blocks off the left atrial appendage of the ...

The left atrium is one of the four chambers of the heart, located on the left posterior side. Its primary roles are to act as a holding chamber for blood returning from the lungs and to act as a pump ...

For patients with atrial fibrillation, the use of oral anticoagulant therapy to prevent stroke is limited by the risk of bleeding. Left atrial appendage closure is considered for patients who are ...

For patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AFib) who had no contraindications to taking oral anticoagulants, the use of a device to close off the left atrial appendage in the heart—a small ...