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Question:
How long do I have to wait to have a Lariat procedure after catheter ablation?
I am 72 y/o with recent onset paroxysmal atrial fib with 3 TIAs in 1st month after afib diagnosis. I am now on Xarelto 20mg daily. I also have history of past spontaneous subdural hemorrhage (on aspirin), so I am at high risk for embolic strokes and high risk for intracranial hemorrhage. My goal is to get into normal sinus rhythm (NSR) and off all anticoagulants & off aspirin as soon as possible. If I have a successful catheter ablation done first, how long do I have to wait before I can have a percutaneous Lariat closure of my LAA [left atrial appendage], and how long after the Lariat can I get off all anticoagulants/aspirin?
submitted by Sam from Knoxville, Tennessee on 11/12/2012
Answer:
by Texas Heart Institute cardiovascular surgeon, William E. Cohn, MD
Hey Sam. You can have the Lariat procedure anytime after catheter ablation. In a small percentage of patients, catheter ablation results in the formation of adhesions between the heart sack and the surface of the heart which makes the Lariat procedure difficult or impossible. Hopefully that is not the case. In many cases, we stop anticoagulation the same day the Lariat procedure is performed. We don't have adequate data to support any given strategy, so that decision will be up to your doctor. I hope this helps.
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Updated November 2012
