Atrial fibrillation is a common heart condition where the heart beats irregularly and doesn’t pump blood properly. This can cause blood to pool and form clots, especially in a small pouch of the heart called the left atrial appendage.
If a blood clot travels to the brain, it can cause a stroke. To prevent this, patients are usually given anticoagulant medications (also known as blood thinners). However, these drugs come with a risk—especially internal bleeding, which can be serious or even life-threatening.
To reduce the need for high doses of these medications, doctors can place a small device in the left atrial appendage. This device blocks blood from entering the area where clots are most likely to form.
But placing the device is tricky—it must be adjusted carefully to fit the unique shape of each patient’s heart. After surgery, patients still need to be monitored to safely lower their anticoagulant dose over time.
Now, researchers from Pompeu Fabra University (UPF) in Spain, working with Hospital Clínic de Barcelona, have created a new tool to help doctors with this process.
They developed a 3D computer model of each patient’s heart using CT scans (a special type of imaging). This model helps doctors plan where to place the device and how much blood thinner the patient needs after surgery.
The research team is led by Oscar Camara from UPF and Dr. Xavier Freixa from the cardiology team at Hospital Clínic. Their new model was tested in a real case involving a 78-year-old patient with atrial fibrillation who had previously suffered a stroke.
The team used the model to guide the placement of the device and decide how much medication the patient would need in the following months.
The results were so promising that a well-known medical journal, JACC: Case Reports, published the study. It’s the first time a medical journal has featured a computer model like this for treating atrial fibrillation.
Maria Segarra, the main author of the study, explained that the model can be very useful for doctors before and after surgery. It helps find the best spot to place the device and also helps calculate the right amount of medication needed after the operation.
Dr. Freixa added that this model allows doctors to plan more accurately for each patient. It improves safety and reduces risks, making treatment more effective.
It’s important to know that patients cannot stop taking blood thinners right after the device is installed. The body needs time to adjust to the new device, and during this time, there’s still a small risk of clots.
But if everything goes well, patients can gradually reduce their medication or even stop it completely. Without this procedure, they would likely need to stay on medication for life.
This successful case study shows how useful the model can be, and researchers now plan to test it with more patients. If future results are just as good, this technology could become a powerful tool in treating atrial fibrillation.
It would help doctors at every step—from planning the surgery to adjusting medications—leading to safer and more personalized care for people living with this condition.
If you care about heart disease, please read studies that herbal supplements could harm your heart rhythm, and how eating eggs can help reduce heart disease risk.
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