Abstract

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is a common comorbidity in left ventricular assist device (LVAD) patients and has been identified as a risk factor for stroke. Clinical studies in heart failure patients have shown reduced thromboembolic risk after occlusion of the left atrial appendage (LAA). However potential benefits in LVAD patients are not yet fully understood. This study aims to investigate the effect of left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) on thrombosis-related parameters using LVAD patient-specific hemodynamic simulations.