Publications by authors named "Gerri L Hempfling"
Background: Left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) with WATCHMAN currently requires preprocedural imaging, general anesthesia, and inpatient overnight admission. We sought to facilitate simplification of LAAO.
Aims: We describe and compare SOLO-CLOSE (single-operator LAA occlusion utilizing conscious sedation TEE, lack of outpatient pre-imaging, and same-day expedited discharge) with the conventional approach (CA).
Article Synopsis
- The WATCHMAN device is typically used for percutaneous left atrial appendage occlusions (LAAO), but existing guidelines make the procedure complicated and costly for many hospitals due to requirements like general anesthesia and overnight observation.
- A new approach, called SOLO-CLOSE, uses a single operator with conscious sedation and transoesophageal echocardiography, allowing for same-day outpatient discharge without the need for extensive pre-screening imaging.
- In a study of five patients, this method was shown to be safe and effective, with all patients having well-placed devices and no complications at follow-up, suggesting that it could become a more accessible option for stroke prevention.