Doctors at Kauvery Hospital perform Intracardiac Echo Guided Lambre Left Atrial Appendage Conclusion on 80-year-old patient

Chennai: Kauvery Hospital Alwarpet Chennai, a leading multi-specialty healthcare chain in Tamil Nadu, performed India's first Intracardiac Echo-Guided Lambre Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) closure. 

Left atrial appendage closure is a surgical or minimally invasive procedure to close the left atrial appendage (LAA), a small sac in the muscle wall of the left atrium. Removing it or closing it off can reduce the risk of stroke and eliminate the need to take blood-thinning medication.

Because the left atrial appendage is a little pouch, blood collects there and can form clots in the LAA and atria. When the heart pumps out blood clots, they can cause a stroke. The heart can continue to do its job with a closed left atrial appendage.

The 80-year-old individual had a history of bypass surgery for blood vessel blocks, severe pulmonary hypertension (high pressure in right side of heart), heart failure, diabetes, hypertension, gastric ulcer, and obstructive sleep apnea along with atrial fibrillation and previous minor stroke.

Atrial fibrillation is an irregular heart rhythm which increases the risk of stroke due to blood clots from the heart. To reduce the risk of stroke, blood thinners are given, but these agents can increase the risk of bleeding from the stomach or inside the brain.

As the man, aged 80, already had an episode of massive gastric ulcer bleed, the patient was offered an LAA closure device called LAMBRE, which was successfully implanted with intracardiac echo guidance by Dr Rajaram Anantharaman, Dr Deep Chandh Raja and the team at Kauvery Hospital. He was discharged on the second day without any blood thinners.

Intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) is a unique imaging modality able to provide high-resolution real-time visualization of cardiac structures, and also facilitates continuous monitoring of catheter location within the heart.

“The most appropriate treatment option for such high-risk patients with atrial fibrillation and higher bleeding risk is closing the LAA with a device, through a blood vessel in the groin, without a surgery. Patients who are at higher risk for general anesthesia or trans-esophageal echo, can have this procedure done under local anesthesia with mild sedation using Intracardiac Echo guidance,” says Dr Rajaram Anantharaman, Senior Consultant Interventional Cardiologist, Kauvery Hospital, Alwarpet, Chennai.

Speaking about the procedure, Dr Deep Chandh Raja, the clinical lead cardiac Electrophysiologist at Kauvery Hospital, Alwarpet said, “The 80-year patient was a beneficiary of both the technologies namely LAA closure and intracardiac echo. At our centre, more patients with heart rhythm problems are also getting benefitted from the intracardiac echo technology. We have just treated a 16-year teenager, a non-resident Indian from Australia, for a complex condition called Ventricular Tachycardia, which was originating from the ‘Heart’s Summit’, which is a very tricky point of the heart, using a 3-D ablation system and intracardiac echo.”

Speaking on this, Dr Aravindan Selvaraj, Co-founder & Executive Director, Kauvery Hospital said, “We have been able to provide the ideal solutions for complex cardiac conditions with our team of internationally trained interventional cardiologists and cardiac electrophysiologists. Our Hybrid Operating Room has facilitated performing cardiac procedures with high safety for the patients.

Advancements like the ‘Intracardiac Echocardiography’ is a boon to treat complex conditions of the heart, with better precision. I appreciate Dr Rajaram Anantharaman, Dr Deep Chandh Raja and Cardiology team for making the best use of the technology, thereby, making a difference in the lives of individuals.”