History of Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion with AMPLATZER Devices.

AMPLATZER devices preceded WATCHMAN occluder in 2002 for catheter-based left atrial appendage occlusion. The AMPLATZER technique facilitates simultaneous closure of atrial shunts using two devices through one gear. Randomized WATCHMAN follow-up data showed a mortality benefit over warfarin. AMPLATZER data make this likely valid for the strategy. Particularly young people with atrial fibrillation should be offered left atrial appendage occlusion because the risk is confined to the intervention and early postintervention period. Guidelines should be adapted to make this progress in prevention of stroke and bleeding in patients with atrial fibrillation accessible for all, in the sense of a mechanical vaccination.