Oklahoma Heart Institute (OHI) became the first hospital in Oklahoma to perform a new minimally invasive catheter-based procedure to close the left atrial appendage (LAA). The procedure, which uses the LARIAT(r) Suture Delivery Device, permanently closes the LAA which is a benefit for individuals with Atrial Fibrillation (A Fib) who cannot tolerate blood thinners.
The LAA is a structure in the heart that normally contracts, allowing blood to flow in and out of the LAA. For patients with A Fib, the most common heart rhythm disorder, the LAA no longer rhythmically contracts creating a sluggish blood flow that can cause blood to pool and clot. These blood clots can lead to stroke. A Fib patients are often prescribed a blood thinner, such as warfarin or Coumadin, to prevent clotting; however these drugs cannot be tolerated by all patients.
During the LARIAT procedure, a local anesthetic is used to numb the area under the breast bone. After the area is numbed, two catheters are guided into the patient's heart to seal the LAA with a pre-tied suture loop - similar to a lasso - using the LARIAT Suture Delivery Device. Once tied off, the appendage will turn into scar tissue over time. This procedure has the potential to reduce risk of stroke.
Unlike traditional surgical treatments, this procedure is completed through small punctures in the skin, so in addition to less pain, the patient benefits from a shorter recovery time and less risk of complications.
The Oklahoma Heart Institute Cardiac Electrophysiology Team of Gregory Cogert, MD, Craig Cameron, MD, and David Sandler, MD, performed the first LAA Exclusion case.
First in Oklahoma to Perform LARIAT Procedure
Inside a Case