THE ROLE OF THE LEFT ATRIAL APPENDAGE IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF ATRIAL FIBRILLATION, THE EFFECTIVENESS OF ABLATION AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF THROMBOEMBOLIC COMPLICATIONS

Highlights Left atrial appendage resection is a safe and effective method of excluding the appendage from the systemic circulation, it reduces the number of cerebral ischemic events and increases the effectiveness of atrial fibrillation treatment. Abstract According to a number of studies, left atrial appendage can be the source of atrial fibrillation. Moreover, in atrial tachyarrhythmias, the appendage is the main source of thrombosis that causes cerebral ischemic events. In an attempt to solve these two issues, specialists developed various devices to exclude the left atrial appendage from the systemic circulation and attempted to ablate the arrhythmogenic area. The aim of this review is to analyze current literature data on the abovementioned issues and our own experience of left atrial appendage resection during thoracoscopic pulmonary vein ablation in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation.