LAA (Left Atrial Appendage) closure

Martin Bergmann reviews the evolving evidence for LAAC, examining how recent landmark trials such as OPTION, CLOSURE‑AF and CHAMPION‑AF are reshaping patient selection and expanding the role of LAAC across a broader spectrum of patients with atrial fibrillation.

In this article, Jens Erik Nielsen-Kudsk reviews the evolution of left atrial appendage closure, from early trials such as PROTECT‑AF to recent evidence including CHAMPION‑AF, and discusses its expanding role in stroke prevention for atrial fibrillation.

In this discussion, Lorenz Räber and David Seiffge review the latest evidence on percutaneous left atrial appendage (LAA) closure for stroke prevention, focusing on the CLOSURE AF and CHAMPION AF trials, highlighting that LAA closure provides stroke rates comparable to anticoagulation, with a key advantage in...

In this video, Xavier Freixa and Nina Wunderlich discuss how to better anticipate challenges in LAA closure. Moving beyond traditional morphology classifications, they highlight the importance of clinically relevant anatomical parameters, procedural factors such as coaxiality, and proper planning to optimise outcomes. They also explore what...

In this discussion, Philippe Garot and Saibal Kar review the implications of the CHAMPION-AF trial for the future of left atrial appendage closure (LAAC). The study demonstrated that LAAC is non-inferior to NOACs for preventing stroke, systemic embolism and death, while significantly reducing long-term bleeding.

These findings...

In this article, Marek Grygier reviews the rapidly evolving landscape of LAAC. Building on recent landmark trials such as OPTION and CHAMPION‑AF, he explores how emerging evidence is reshaping the role of device-based stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation. He also highlights ongoing studies, including SIMPLAAFY, CATALYST...

An educational series led by Philippe Garot which explores the latest evidence on LAAC for stroke prevention in atrial fibrillation, including CHAMPION-AF, patient selection, procedural techniques and future directions.

The study aimed to evaluate the impact of LAAC device implantation depth on local flow characteristics and its association with device-related thrombus using patient-specific computational fluid dynamics.

In this replay, P. Garot, M. Bergmann and J.E. Nielsen‑Kudsk review current indications for LAAC, insights from the CHAMPION‑AF trial and practical case learnings.

During the first Late-Breaking Trial session of the 2026 ACC Congress held in New Orleans, Saibal Kar, principal investigator of the CHAMPION-AF trial, presented the 3-year results of this groundbreaking study, which were simultaneously published in the NEJM (DOI: 10.1056/NEJMoa2517213).