Surgical PA-LAA Shunting for Management of Systemic Embolization in Patients With Atrial Fibrillation: a Feasibility Study

The goal is to understand the potential avenues to increase Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) flow in patients with Atrial Fibrillation (AF) to minimize systemic embolization risk. Flow modeling demonstrates that the anatomy of the LAA results in decreased velocities in the LAA apex. Introduction of a 3-4mm shunt in the apex can result in increased velocity, less stasis and a lower propensity for thrombus formation. Small (<8mm) inter-chamber shunts can exist in humans with no long term hemodynamic consequences in otherwise structurally normal hearts - making a strategy of pulmonary artery (PA) to LAA shunt an attractive potential therapy given anatomic proximity and gradient differential between the cardiac chambers.

This will be a 5 patient first-in-human feasibility study. The population will include patients undergoing CABG or other cardiovascular surgery with AF and a CHADS2 score >1 in whom the treating team deems traditional therapy with anticoagulants is prohibitive or ineffective (dialysis or EGFR preoperatively <15, previous bleeding with non-reversible pathology, clinically deemed contraindicated to oral anticoagulant). The intervention will be PA-LAA shunt creation at the time of surgery. As this is a single arm study there will be no comparison group.