First-in-man late partial recanalisation after LARIAT suturing of the left atrial appendage successfully treated with an AMPLATZER™ septal occluder device

A 69-year-old male with paroxysmal atrial fibrillation discontinued anticoagulation due to gastrointestinal bleed. He suffered an embolic stroke in 2006 while off anticoagulation. Warfarin was resumed after this event but was stopped again due to recurrent gastrointestinal bleed requiring blood transfusion. Due to high risk of stroke and anticoagulation intolerance, he underwent successful percutaneous LAA closure with the LARIAT suture (SentreHEART, Inc., Redwood City, CA, USA) in June 2012 (Online Figure 1, Moving image 1). A six-week follow-up TEE revealed late recanalisation of the LAA with a patent channel measuring 4 mm in diameter at the suture line (Online Figure 2, Moving image 2). Follow-up TEE at ...