Understanding the role of the left atrial appendage on the flow in the atrium.

Background: The exclusion/occlusion of the left atrial appendage (LAA) is a treatment option for atrial fibrillation (AF) patients who are at high risk of stroke and high risk of bleeding. As the role of the LAA is not well understood or explored, this study aims to assess its role on flow dynamics in the left atrium.

Methods: Computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations were carried out for nine AF patients before and after LAA exclusion.