Left atrial appendage closure: beyond the artifact

J Cardiovasc Med (Hagerstown). 2016 Dec:17 Suppl 2:e171-e173. doi: 10.2459/JCM.0000000000000081.

Abstract

: Transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) represents the gold standard technique to detect left atrial appendage (LAA) thrombosis. Several conditions may be erroneously interpreted as LAA thrombus at TEE, including artifacts mimicking thrombi. We report a case of a 78-year-old man with atrial fibrillation and contraindication to anticoagulation who was referred to our institution for percutaneous left appendage closure with a transcatheter trans-septal approach. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiography revealed a thrombus-mimicking image, related to reverberations of left upper pulmonary vein ridge, located at twice the distance of the ridge from the transducer.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Artifacts
  • Atrial Appendage / diagnostic imaging*
  • Atrial Appendage / physiopathology
  • Atrial Fibrillation / diagnostic imaging
  • Atrial Fibrillation / physiopathology
  • Atrial Fibrillation / therapy*
  • Cardiac Catheterization / instrumentation*
  • Cineangiography
  • Echocardiography, Transesophageal*
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Multidetector Computed Tomography
  • Predictive Value of Tests
  • Pulmonary Veins / diagnostic imaging
  • Treatment Outcome