Among the adult population, the most common arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation, which is usually treated with anticoagulant (blood thinning) treatment to prevent thrombi (blood clots) from forming. Most blood clots, over 90%, form in a cavity in the left atrium of the heart called the atrial appendage and can end up in areas like the brain (stroke), hands, lower limbs, or any other part of the body causing embolisms, as explained by Dr. Manuel Vargas Torres, of the Interventional Cardiology Service at Hospiten Rambla University Hospital.
In some patients, anticoagulant treatment can cause worrying bleeding like gastrointestinal or intracranial hemorrhage. For that reason, the specialist states it is advisable in these cases to carry out an intervention to occlude/exclude the left atrial appendage, preventing the formation of clots there, thus allowing anticoagulant, or blood thinning, treatment to end and eliminate the risks for the patient.
This is a technique that places Hospiten Rambla University Hospital at the forefront of the field, as it is the first and only private center in the Canary Islands to carry out this type of procedure. To date, five interventions have been carried out, with excellent results for all the patients involved.
Dr. Vargas Torres states that the procedure "eradicates the formation of blood clots in the atrial appendage, reducing the risk of embolism in patients in whom anticoagulant medication cannot be used." He adds that "the procedure is performed through a vein and not through an artery, increasing the patient's safety guarantees".
The procedure consists of performing a transseptal puncture with a small needle to reach the left atrial appendage, where a small device is inserted to occlude the cavity, significantly reducing the risk of clots in that area. The specialist says that it is a simple procedure, and that the critical part is that of "passing the septum that separates both atria".
"The patient does not notice anything," says the interventional cardiologist, and adds that "what he will notice is the benefit of not having any bleeding episodes and reducing his chances of suffering an embolism, a stroke or any cardiovascular problem related to the formation of blood clots in this area".
Among the adult population, the most common arrhythmia is atrial fibrillation, which is usually treated with anticoagulant (blood thinning) treatment to prevent thrombi (blood clots) from forming. Most blood clots, over 90%, form in a cavity in the left atrium of the heart called the atrial appendage and can end up in areas like the brain (stroke), hands, lower limbs, or any other part of the body causing embolisms, as explained by Dr. Manuel Vargas Torres, of the Interventional Cardiology Service at Hospiten Rambla University Hospital.
In some patients, anticoagulant treatment can cause worrying bleeding like gastrointestinal or intracranial hemorrhage. For that reason, the specialist states it is advisable in these cases to carry out an intervention to occlude/exclude the left atrial appendage, preventing the formation of clots there, thus allowing anticoagulant, or blood thinning, treatment to end and eliminate the risks for the patient.
This is a technique that places Hospiten Rambla University Hospital at the forefront of the field, as it is the first and only private center in the Canary Islands to carry out this type of procedure. To date, five interventions have been carried out, with excellent results for all the patients involved.
Dr. Vargas Torres states that the procedure "eradicates the formation of blood clots in the atrial appendage, reducing the risk of embolism in patients in whom anticoagulant medication cannot be used." He adds that "the procedure is performed through a vein and not through an artery, increasing the patient's safety guarantees".
The procedure consists of performing a transseptal puncture with a small needle to reach the left atrial appendage, where a small device is inserted to occlude the cavity, significantly reducing the risk of clots in that area. The specialist says that it is a simple procedure, and that the critical part is that of "passing the septum that separates both atria".
"The patient does not notice anything," says the interventional cardiologist, and adds that "what he will notice is the benefit of not having any bleeding episodes and reducing his chances of suffering an embolism, a stroke or any cardiovascular problem related to the formation of blood clots in this area".