Clinical Performance of a Powered Surgical Stapler for Left Atrial Appendage Resection in a Video-Assisted Thoracoscopic Ablation for Patients with Nonvalvular Atrial Fibrillation.

Left atrial appendage (LAA) has been found to be associated with the occurrence of thromboembolism in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF). Stapling exclusion of LAA during surgical ablation could be an alternative to oral anticoagulation for NVAF patients. However, its safety and efficacy have rarely been examined. Thus, in this study, we aimed to evaluate the safety and efficacy of a powered surgical stapler for LAA resection during ablation for patients with NVAF.Adult patients with NVAF undergoing stapler surgery were included in this study. LAAs of patients were cut off using a powered surgical stapler. Intraoperative transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) was applied before and after the operation. Each patient received anticoagulant therapy for 2 months after surgery and was regularly followed up by appointment or via telephone call. Patients would undergo physical examinations, echocardiography, and 24-hour dynamic electrocardiogram in a local or in our hospital to determine whether there was a recurrence of atrial fibrillation (AF) or thromboembolism caused by AF.In total, 124 patients were included in this study (male: 88 (71.0%); mean age: 62.3 years). Blood loss was less than 100 mL in all patients with no operative complications or hospital deaths. Moreover, 119 (96.0%) follow-up data were collected, with a mean period of 27.4 months. All patients discontinued oral anticoagulants 2 months after their operation. As per our findings, AF recurred in 23 patients (18.5%), with an average of 9.1 months after surgery. No patients were diagnosed with thromboembolism related to AF.Stapling exclusion of LAA during surgical ablation could safely and completely resect the LAA. The effect of thrombus prevention was deemed satisfactory.