Arrhythmias & electrophysiology
Pulsed Field Ablation of the Left Atrial Appendage Before Mechanical Closure to Reduce Peri-Device Leak (STUN-AF)
Authors' conclusion
PFA of the LAA has potential to reduce LAA patency during device-based LAAC.
Study context
- Population
- Consecutive patients undergoing concomitant pulsed field ablation (PFA) and LAACtotal patients undergoing PFA and LAAC, all underwent initial imaging and 126 reached 12-month imaging follow-up
- Participants
- 317 patients
- Comparison
- LAAA vs no-LAAA during concomitant PFA and LAAC
- LAAAn = 222
- no-LAAAn = 95
- Outcome
- Primary composite outcome of LAA patency (detectable flow into the LAA or echo-free space/contrast medium behind the device)
- Follow-up
- 3-4 months and 12 months
Methodological details3 centers, LAAA at operator discretion, validation subset with alternating LAAA assignment
- 3 centers
- LAAA at operator discretion
- Validation subset with alternating LAAA assignment
Performance
As reported in the abstract
3-4 months
P < 0.001
12 months
P < 0.001
Further findings
Device compression
P < 0.001
LAA patency, validation subset with alternating LAAA assignment (LAAA: n = 59; no-LAAA: n = 63) · 3-4 months and 12 months
3-4 months
P = 0.06
12 months
P = 0.2
Final LAA e' velocity · significantly different between groups
P < 0.001
- Final left atrial appendage (LAA) e' velocity — Higher velocity associated with LAA patency
- P < 0.001
Implantation success
- Implantation success
- 100%
Safety
Device-related thrombus
P = 0.7
Periprocedural adverse events
- Periprocedural adverse event rate in both groups
- 2%
Original publication
Pulsed Field Ablation of the Left Atrial Appendage Before Mechanical Closure to Reduce Peri-Device Leak (STUN-AF). JACC Clin Electrophysiol. Published 19 October 2026. doi:10.
Composed by AI from the published abstract and checked against it. How Briefs are made →