Use of a steerable delivery sheath to obtain coaxial alignment in left atrial appendage occlusion after mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair: a case report

Background: Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) have a five-fold increase in stroke events, and ∼90% of the thrombi develop in the left atrial appendage (LAA). Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) has emerged as a safe and feasible alternative to oral anticoagulation (OAC) for stroke prevention in selected patients with non-valvular AF and contraindications to OAC. Atrial fibrillation is closely associated with mitral disease, and there is a growing interest in combined procedures. More than half of patients undergoing a mitral transcatheter edge-to-edge repair (M-TEER) suffer of AF and many have high or unacceptable bleeding risk. Case summary: We present a case of an 80-year-old woman suffering from paroxysmal AF, right carotid siphon aneurysm, and primary mitral regurgitation, with a high bleeding risk, who underwent a combined intervention of M-TEER and LAAO. Discussion: The combination of these two procedures is a logical step once the access to the left atrium is obtained with a transseptal puncture (TSP) and a transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) is in place to guide both procedures. The turning point in LAAO procedure is a correct TSP allowing coaxial alignment of the sheath with the LAA neck. Steerable delivery sheaths are promising dedicated tools, particularly in challenging anatomy or during combined procedures requiring different TSP positions.