Observational Study of Clinical Outcomes After Echocardiography-Guided Left Atrial Appendage Closure in Atrial Fibrillation Patients

What this Trial Is About

This observational study focuses on patients with atrial fibrillation who undergo left atrial appendage closure LAAC. It aims to compare clinical and imaging outcomes across different patient subgroups to understand the effects of patient characteristics and procedural techniques on safety and effectiveness. The study is sponsored by Insel Gruppe AG, University Hospital Bern, and follows patients over several years to gather important data about LAAC in real-world clinical practice. The study collects data from patients undergoing clinically indicated LAAC, guided mainly by echocardiography since 2015. Researchers track procedural details including imaging methods, devices used for closure, and post-procedure drug treatments. Follow-up includes clinical visits and imaging exams such as transesophageal echocardiography TEE at 1 to 3 months and cardiac computed tomography angiography CCTA between 1 and 13 months after the procedure. Participants will be monitored through clinical follow-ups at 1, 3, and 5 years to assess safety events like cardiovascular death and stroke, as well as technical success and device-related outcomes. The study also measures procedure time, contrast medium dose, and x-ray exposure during LAAC. Researchers evaluate device coverage and potential thrombus formation using imaging. Total participation may extend up to 5 years to capture long-term results and safety information.

LAAC-registry: Clinical Outcome After Echocardiography-guided LAA-closure