[Role of echocardiographic assessment of the left atrial appendage in clinical practice]

Abstract

Background: It is known for a long-while that the left atrial appendage is a frequent source of cardiac thrombus formation associated with systemic embolism. Transesophageal echocardiography made it possible to evaluate accurately the left atrial appendage in vivo. Albeit the most important part of transesophageal echocardiographic evaluation of left atrial appendage is the exclusion of thrombi, growing evidence support that several other clinically important informations can be achieved with its detailed ultrasonographic assessment.

Aim: The purpose of authors was to summarize the data available in the literature on the echocardiographic evaluation of left atrial appendage.

Results and conclusions: Beyond transesophageal detection of left atrial appendage thrombus it is possible to assess the anatomic variations, dimensions, prethrombotic states and specific flow patterns of the appendage that may have clinically important diagnostic and prognostic impact.