Post-procedural management and follow-up
All patients received transthoracic echocardiography to rule out pericardial effusion on the following day of procedures. OAT was administrated for at least 45 days in patients with isolated LAAC and for 2 months in patients with the combined procedure. This treatment was followed by aspirin and clopidogrel for 6 months and aspirin or clopidogrel for life. At 45 days, 6 months, and 12 months of follow-up, TEE was performed to evaluate the position of the device, residual flow, and thrombus formation on the surface of the device.
Major adverse events
Major adverse events were defined as death, stroke, systemic embolism, device embolization, pericardial bleeding requiring an intervention (pericardial tamponade), atrio-oesophageal fistula, pulmonary vein stenosis, or other major bleeding requiring invasive treatment or blood transfusion.