Kato H, Nakanishi M, Maekawa N, Ohnishi T, Yamamoto M
Department of Internal Medicine, Fukui Kosei Hospital, Japan.
Am J Cardiol. 1996 Aug 1;78(3):365-9. doi: 10.1016/s0002-9149(96)00297-4.
To assess stasis in the left atrial appendage in patients with atrial fibrillation and to identify patients at increased risk for thromboembolism, we performed transesophageal echocardiography with an intravenous albumin contrast agent (Albunex) in 25 patients with atrial fibrillation and in 22 patients in sinus rhythm. We demonstrated that the absence of opacification in the left atrial appendage after Albunex administration implies a high risk of left atrial thrombus and cardiogenic thromboembolism.
