Cited 5 times since 2004 (0.2 per year) source: EuropePMC The international journal of cardiovascular imaging, Volume 20, Issue 2, 1 1 2004, Pages 113-116 Thrombus in the left atrial appendage detected by intracardiac echocardiography. Jongbloed MR, Bax JJ, van der Wall EE, Schalij MJ
Radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFCA) at the ostium of the pulmonary veins can potentially cure atrial fibrillation. Left-sided ablation procedures may carry a risk of thrombo-embolic events. Emboli from intracardiac thrombus originate from the left atrial appendage (LAA) in a substantial number of patients. The presence of spontaneous echo contrast in the left atrium (LA) and LAA peak emptying flow < or = 20 cm/s are also significantly related to thrombo-embolic events. Evaluation of the anatomy of the LA and LAA prior to left-sided procedures is therefore mandatory. Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) appears an ideal technique to obtain this information during the RFCA-procedure. In the current report, we report on the use of ICE detecting a thrombus in the LAA in a patient planned to undergo RFCA of pulmonary veins for atrial fibrillation.
