ABSTRACT
Stroke is still the leading cause of disability and the third leading cause of mortality in Western countries. Approximately 80" of all strokes are ischaemic, and about one-third is caused by cardiac embolism, mostly the consequence of atrial fibrillation (AF). A prerequisite for the implementation of percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) closure procedures is knowledge of the anatomy of the LAA and adjacent anatomical structures, and to recognise individual variations. The LAA is a tubular shaped, blind-ended, embryonic remnant at the lateral wall of the left atrium, localised between the pulmonary veins and the mitral valve. Some centres avoid using fluoroscopy only for peri-procedural imaging. The potential advantages of this approach are that the procedure may be done without any kind of sedation and may need fewer staff. The procedure is usually performed under local anaesthesia of the right venous femoral access site and slight sedation, if needed.
