| Description: |
The left atrial appendage (LAA), formed during the third week of gestation, is a focus in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) (Al-Saady et al., 1999). Patients with nonvalvular AF show a high increase in thrombi, or blood clot, formation due to the blood becoming stagnant in the LAA from improper contraction of the atria causing high risk of stroke (Beigel et al., 2014). To manage AF, the European Society of Cardiology developed guidelines to combat comorbidity factors such as hypertension and excessive drinking in addition to prescribing anticoagulants like Warfarin to minimize thrombi formation. Anticoagulants have their own challenges like increasing excessive bleeding with Warfarin or being prone to gastrointestinal bleeding with Apixaban and Rivaroxaban (Van Gelder et al., 2024). Patients who are unable to tolerate these types of medications have an option to occlude the source of the thrombi formation using an implantation device. A left atrial appendage occlusion device is placed on the neck of the LAA allowing the endothelial cells of the heart to adhere and proliferate, resulting in complete endothelialization and seal the appendage (Morales, 2023). Unfortunately, postoperational anticoagulant and antiplatelet medication are still prescribed to reduce blood clot formation during recovery. Yet, peri-device leaks and device-related thrombi are still observed after the one-year mark after implantation (Frazzetto et al., 2025). SureCor, Inc. has developed an LAA occlusion device composed of nitinol and PET fabric coated with a proprietary substance to enhance rapid endothelialization and iii potentially minimize the use of strong anticoagulants. Building on a previous study, EA.hy926, hybrid endothelial cells, were used in vitro to compare cell viability between materials, three types of PET fabric and nitinol, treated with the proprietary substance, untreated material, and in addition collagen-coated material to determine if the proprietary material is effective and considered for future occlusion ... |