Why the study?
Atrial fibrillation increases embolic stroke risk in cardiac surgery patients, prompting the DGTHG working group to evaluate current research and recommendations regarding concomitant LAA closure.
Does concomitant left atrial appendage (LAA) closure reduce the risk of neurological events in patients with preoperative atrial fibrillation undergoing cardiac surgery?
Does concomitant left atrial appendage (LAA) closure reduce the risk of neurological events in patients with preoperative atrial fibrillation undergoing cardiac surgery?
The German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery recommends routine concomitant LAA closure during cardiac surgery for patients with preoperative atrial fibrillation, aligning with ESC/EACTS guidelines.
Answers are grounded in this paper and cite their sources.
No clinical data provided; leaves open the role of concomitant LAA closure for stroke prevention in surgical AF patients.
Atrial fibrillation is associated with an increased risk of embolic strokes and is present in about one-fourth of all patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Closure of the left atrial appendage (LAA) can effectively reduce the risk of neurological events and is now a class IB recommendation in the most recent ESC/EACTS AF guidelines. The working group "Heart Rhythm Disorders" of the German Society for Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgery (DGTHG) evaluates the current state of clinical research and recommends concomitant LAA closure in patients with preoperative atrial fibrillation as a routine part of heart surgeries.
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Schenk et al. (2025) studied this question.
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