Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion during Cardiac Surgery to Prevent Stroke

BACKGROUND: Surgical occlusion of the left atrial appendage has been hypothesized to prevent ischemic stroke in patients with atrial fibrillation, but this has not been proved. The procedure can be performed during cardiac surgery undertaken for other reasons. METHODS: We conducted a multicenter, randomized trial involving participants with atrial fibrillation and a CHA₂DS₂-VASc score of at least 2 (on a scale from 0 to 9, with higher scores …