Atrial fibrillation is the most common arrhythmia in clinical practice, which can lead to heart failure in the long term, and the risk of stroke is five times higher than that of the general population. Chang Gung Memorial Hospital (Linkou Branch) introduced a new type of left atrial appendage closure surgery in 2022, providing a minimally invasive treatment option for atrial fibrillation. This procedure does not require opening the chest or stopping the heart from beating, effectively closing the left atrial appendage. As of March this year, 100 cases have been completed.
Mr. Wu, 70 years old, suffers from chronic lung disease and was diagnosed with severe mitral regurgitation and atrial fibrillation a few months ago. Surgery was recommended by the physician, but traditional open-heart surgery would cause a large incision, and standard minimally invasive surgery would require stopping the heart and using a heart-lung machine, both of which deterred the patient and his family, leading them to opt for medication only.
Dr. Chi-Hsiao Yeh, Deputy Director of Taoyuan Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, pointed out that during an episode of atrial fibrillation, the muscles of the atrium would twitch irregularly, leading to ineffective contraction of the atrium, causing it to lose function. This may result in symptoms such as palpitations, chest tightness, dizziness, weakness, and shortness of breath, or there may be no obvious symptoms. Blood stagnating in the atrium may form blood clots, and if these clots detach and flow out of the heart, they may cause blood vessel blockages. Therefore, the chance of stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation is five times higher than that of the general population.
Research has found that about 90% of blood clots generated by atrial fibrillation originate from the left atrial appendage. According to the results of large-scale clinical trials, if patients with atrial fibrillation undergo cardiac surgery, closing the left atrial appendage during the procedure can prevent blood stasis and clot formation.
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