Inversion of Left Atrial Appendage Will Cause Compressive Stresses in the Tissue: Simulation Study of Potential Therapy

In atrial fibrillation (AF), thromboembolic events can result from the particular conformation of the left atrial appendage (LAA) bearing increased clot formation and accumulation. Current therapies to reduce the risk of adverse events rely on surgical exclusion or percutaneous occlusion, each of which has drawbacks limiting application and efficacy. We sought to quantify the hemodynamic and structural loads of a novel potential procedure to partially invert the “dead” LAA space to eliminate the auricle apex where clots develop. A realistic left atrial geometry was first achieved from the heart anatomy of the Living Heart Human Model (LHHM) and then the left atrial appendage inversion (LAAI…