A new method of left atrial appendage occlusion for the prevention of thromboembolic complications in patients with atrial fibrillation during coronary artery bypass grafting

Aim. To optimize the surgical technique for left atrial appendage (LAA) occlusion in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) during coronary artery bypass grafting.

Material and methods. The study included 60 patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). The patients were randomly divided into 2 groups. In the first group of patients, LAA was closed using the developed two-suture technique. In patients of the second group, a purse string suture was applied to the LAA. All patients underwent transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) before surgery to rule out the presence of intracardiac blood clots. To assess the effectiveness of the method in the postoperative period, TEE was performed.

Results. According to postoperative TEE, one case of LAA recanalization in each group was revealed (p>0,05). In the second group, the residual LAA cavity after applying a purse string suture was revealed. During the follow-up period, there were no neurological complications and deaths.

Conclusion. According to the study results, it was found that the proposed two-suture technique for LAA occlusion is not less effective than the purse-string suture. The developed technique of two-suture epicardial occlusion of LAA showed actual technical advantages, allowing to optimize this surgery in different categories of patients.

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