Premium
Serious Complications from Dislocation of a Watchman Left Atrial Appendage Occluder
Author(s) -
STÖLLBERGER CLAUDIA,
SCHNEIDER BIRKE,
FINSTERER JOSEF
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.193
H-Index - 138
eISSN - 1540-8167
pISSN - 1045-3873
DOI - 10.1111/j.1540-8167.2007.00784.x
Subject(s) - medicine , left atrial appendage occlusion , atrial fibrillation , percutaneous , cardiology , occlusion , stroke (engine) , embolization , surgery , embolism , aortic valve , heart failure , thromboembolic stroke , warfarin , mechanical engineering , engineering
Left atrial appendage (LAA) elimination is regarded to protect patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) from stroke or embolism. The Watchman occluder is a device for percutaneous LAA occlusion and is at present investigated in the PROTECT AF trial. In a 78‐year‐old man, embolization of the Watchman device occurred 10 minutes after implantation. At emergency cardiac surgery, the device was removed from the aortic valve and an aortic bioprosthesis and a pacemaker had to be implanted. One year postoperatively, he still suffers from heart failure. This case shows that percutaneous LAA occlusion may result in serious complications.