Incomplete left atrial appendage ligation diagnosed intraoperatively using transesophageal echocardiography following mitral valve repair.

摘要

The left atrial appendage (LAA) plays an important role in maintenance and regulation of cardiac function, especially in cardiovascular disorders like hypertension, heart failure, and valvular heart disease (VHD). Of note is its importance in VHD in which the LAA helps in decompressing the left atrium (LA) when the LA pressure is high. This act of decompression by the LAA ultimately results in its dilatation and dysfunction, which increases the possibility of thromboembolic phenomena. Anticoagulant administration is needed in patients with large LAA and atrial fibrillation (AF) to prevent thromboembolic episodes. However, LAA elimination from the circulation by either occlusion or resection is an effective alternative to anti-coagulation in patients with VHD with or without AF.