Left Atrial Appendage Occluder (LAAO)

About This Procedure

The Left Atrial Appendage Occluder (LAAO) implant is a safe alternative to anticoagulation medication (blood thinners) for people with non-valvular atrial fibrilation (AFib) who meet certain criteria. It has been proven to reduce the risk of a stroke in patients with non-valvular AFib.

During this one-time, minimally invasive transcatheter procedure, a cardiologist at Franciscan Health uses a catheter to guide the LAAO implant to your left atrial appendage through a small incision in your upper leg. By permanently closing off your left atrial appendage, the LAAO device prevents future clots from forming in this location.

Recovering from the LAAO procedure

Following the left atrial appendage closure procedure, a patient will be monitored overnight by Franciscan Health's cardiovascular team. Patients can expect to return home the next day and will continue taking blood thinners until the Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) is permanently closed off which typically takes 45 days.

Considering LAAO

If you have non-valvular AFib and meet certain criteria, your cardiologist may recommend a treatment like the LAAO implant. AFib, is an irregular heart beat that can increase the risk of stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. AFib prevents the heart from pumping blood efficiently, causing blood to pool in the heart chambers and form clots. Blood clots can form in an area of the heart called the left atrial appendage (LAA). If a blood clot travels in the bloodstream to another part of the body, it can block an artery to the brain and cause a stroke.

The LAAO procedure may be right for you if you have a history of one of the following:

• Major bleeding while taking blood thinners
• Prior inability to maintain a stable therapeutic international normalized ratio (INR) or to comply with regular INR monitoring AND unavailability to of an approved alternative blood thinner agent
• A medical condition, occupation or lifestyle placing the patient at high risk of major bleeding due to trauma

How do I get connected to care?

If you have any concerns about your heart health, check with your primary care physician or cardiologist. If you need to see a cardiologist and don't have one, your primary care provider can make a referral, which may be required prior to scheduling an appointment. 

If you or someone you know is experiencing signs and symptoms of a heart attack, dial 911 immediately and, when necessary, administer CPR.