Incidence and Clinical Impact of Device-Associated Thrombus and Peri-Device Leak Following Left Atrial Appendage Closure With the Amplatzer Cardiac Plug

JACC Cardiovasc Interv. 2017 Feb 27;10(4):391-399. doi: 10.1016/j.jcin.2016.11.029.

Abstract

Objectives: Routine device surveillance after successful left atrial appendage closure is recommended to evaluate for intermediate to late complications. The aim of this study was to assess the incidence and clinical impact of these complications on cardiovascular events.

Methods: Centers participating in the Amplatzer Cardiac Plug multicenter study were requested to submit their post-procedural transesophageal echocardiograms for independent adjudication. Thirteen of 22 centers contributed all their post-procedural echocardiograms, which included 344 from 605 consecutive patients. These images were submitted to a core laboratory and reviewed by 2 independent experts for peri-device leak, device-associated thrombus, device embolization, device migration, left atrial appendage thrombus, and left atrial thrombus. Clinical events were prospectively collected by each center.

Results: Of the 344 transesophageal echocardiograms, 339 were deemed analyzable. Patients' mean age was 74.4 ± 7.5 years, and 67.3% were men. The mean CHADS2 score was 2.7 ± 1.3, the mean CHA2DS2-VASc score was 4.3 ± 1.5, and the mean HAS-BLED score was 3.0 ± 1.2. Amplatzer Cardiac Plug implantation was successful in all patients. Periprocedural major adverse events occurred in 2.4%. Median clinical follow-up duration was 355 days (range 179 to 622 days). Follow-up transesophageal echocardiography was performed after a median of 134 days (range 88 to 227 days). Device-associated thrombus was observed in 3.2% and peri-device leak in 12.5% (5.5% minimal, 5.8% mild, 0.6% moderate, 0.6% severe). Neither device-associated thrombus nor peri-device leak was associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular events. Independent predictors of device-associated thrombus were smoking (odds ratio: 5.79; p = 0.017) and female sex (odds ratio: 4.22; p = 0.027).

Conclusions: Following successful left atrial appendage closure with the Amplatzer Cardiac Plug, the presence of peri-device leak was relatively low, and device-associated thrombus was infrequent. Neither was associated with increased risk for thromboembolism.

Keywords: Amplatzer Cardiac Plug (ACP); device-associated thrombus; left atrial appendage (LAA); peri-device leak.

Publication types

  • Multicenter Study

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Aged, 80 and over
  • Atrial Appendage* / physiopathology
  • Atrial Fibrillation / diagnosis
  • Atrial Fibrillation / physiopathology
  • Atrial Fibrillation / therapy*
  • Canada
  • Cardiac Catheterization / adverse effects
  • Cardiac Catheterization / instrumentation*
  • Chi-Square Distribution
  • Databases, Factual
  • Echocardiography, Doppler, Color
  • Echocardiography, Transesophageal
  • Equipment Failure*
  • Europe
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Incidence
  • Logistic Models
  • Male
  • Multivariate Analysis
  • Odds Ratio
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Risk Assessment
  • Risk Factors
  • Thrombosis / diagnostic imaging
  • Thrombosis / epidemiology*
  • Time Factors
  • Treatment Outcome