Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion During Cardiac Surgery to Prevent Stroke: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

Atrial fibrillation accounts for 1/6 of all strokes, potentially leading to significant disability and death. The left atrial appendage (LAA) is the primary location for thrombus formation. Excluding the LAA has been hypothesized to decrease the risk of ischemic stroke. This study examines LAA occlusion (LAAO) with otherwise indicated cardiac surgery and its effect on surgical outcomes. We followed the standards recommended by the Cochrane Collaborative Group and Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) checklist to prepare this systematic review and meta-analysis. Studies were retrieved through an online bibliographic search, studies were screened, and data were extracted. We compared the 2 study arms (LAAO and cardiac surgery without LAAO). A total of 10 studies have been included in this study, and 6 randomized controlled trials were included in the meta-analysis, with data pooled from over 10,000 patients. LAAO is associated with no significant difference in the overall mortality (p = 0.98) and systemic embolism (p = 0.31). Strokes, particularly, ischemic strokes, have significantly lower risk in patients who underwent LAAO (p <0.0001 and p = 0.0007), respectively. In conclusion, LAAO can be done safely as a concomitant surgery with other cardiac surgeries, with a minimal incremental cost when performed concurrently. LAAO is associated with a lower risk of all stroke and ischemic strokes. Further studies are needed to shape guidance on the continuation versus discontinuation of anticoagulation after LAAO, especially in patient populations with a higher risk of bleeding.