Heart HQ: LAA Closure
Heart HQ – Episode 11: Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) Closure
The LAA is a small thumb-sized pouch near the top of your heart. If you suffer from atrial fibrillation, blood can stagnate and form clots inside your LAA, which is a major cause of stroke.
In patients with atrial fibrillation, an LAA closure procedure may be an alternative to lifelong anticoagulation. LAA closure is also indicated for patients who have AF and who are at high risk of stoke but cannot take oral anticoagulant therapy because of issues with bleeding.
We discuss the procedure as well as recovery times and aftercare for patients undergoing an LAA closure.
Show notes: Episode 11
Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) Closure Device
Here are some images of the device in place:
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MBBS (Hons) FRACP FCSANZ. Peter is a clinical and interventional cardiologist with various special interests including coronary angioplasty and stenting, endovascular procedures and structural heart interventions. He studied and trained in Queensland and completed a Fellowship in Interventional Cardiology and Vascular Diagnosis in Boston, MA.
Peter returned home to become Director of Cardiology at Sunshine Coast Hospital, before becoming a founding partner and managing director of HeartHQ
BSc (Hons) MBBS FRACP FCSANZ. Stuart is an interventional cardiologist and structural heart specialist. He has a special interest in treating complex and previously untreatable coronary artery disease, and a passion for distal radial artery access for coronary angiography and stenting.
After completing his training in Brisbane and Perth with an interventional cardiology fellowship, he returned to paradise to take up cardiology consulting at various local hospitals and now is a director of HeartHQ.