Boca Raton Regional Hospital's Richard G. Cartledge, MD, FACS, has begun performing ultra-minimally invasive left atrial appendage ligation for atrial fibrillation patients who are on anticoagulants such as Coumadin, Xarelto or Effient. Dr. Cartledge, who is Chief of Cardiothoracic Surgery at the Hospital, is one of a select group of surgeons nationally using this method, which involves making two microscopic incisions in order to seal off the left atrial appendage (LAA) in patients where anticoagulants are contraindicated or who refuse to be on such medications.

 

Patients with atrial fibrillation, or irregular heartbeat, have a five times greater risk of suffering a stroke than people who don't have the condition, according to the Framingham Heart Study, which followed over 5,000 patients for more than 30 years. The risk is associated with the failure of the left atrium to fully evacuate blood from itself as a result of this type of arrhythmia. The blood then pools in the LAA, which is a small outpouching within the left atrium containing irregular interior surfaces called trabeculations. In patients with atrial fibrillation, clots can form in these areas and can "flick off," resulting in stroke or other serious problems.