Protocol of a pilot randomized clinical trial to evaluate nutritional support and rehabilitation on prevention of skeletal muscle mass loss during neoadjuvant chemotherapy in patients with esophageal cancer.

BACKGROUND: Subtotal esophagectomy with lymph node dissection followed by neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) is the standard treatment for stage II-III esophageal cancer. Esophagectomy is still associated with high morbidity rates, and reducing these rates remains challenging. Among several complications, postoperative pneumonia (PP) is sometimes fatal, which has been reportedly caused by sarcopenia. Thus, nutritional support and rehabilitation may be promising for preventing skeletal muscle mass loss and reduce the incidence of PP. METHODS: This single-center, randomized, open-label, pilot trial will randomize a total of 40 patients with esophageal cancer in a 1:1 ratio either to ISOCAL Clear + rehabilitation arm or only rehabilitation arm. Although all patients will be educated about rehabilitation by a specialized physician and will be asked to undergo the prespecified rehabilitation program, patients treated with ISOCAL Clear + rehabilitation arm will be supplemented by 400 mL of ISOCAL Clear (Nestlé Japan Ltd, Tokyo, Japan) per day during two courses of NAC with docetaxel, cisplatin, and fluorouracil. Body composition will be assessed using Inbody (Inbody Co., Ltd., Tokyo, Japan) just before starting NAC and surgery. The primary endpoint is the change of skeletal muscle index (SMI) during NAC. Secondary endpoints include (i) body weight, total skeletal muscle mass, appendicular skeletal muscle mass, and lean body mass index changes; (ii) the percentage of ISOCAL Clear continuation; (iii) appetite evaluation; (iv) the percentage of targeted calorie achievement; (v) adverse events of NAC; (vi) postoperative complication rates; and (vii) postoperative hospital stay. DISCUSSION: This prospective trial assesses the efficacy of nutritional support in addition to rehabilitation during NAC for patients with esophageal cancer. The results will be utilized in assessing whether the effects of nutritional support by ISOCAL Clear are promising or not and in planning future larger clinical trials.

Appropriate sizing of the frozen elephant trunk: How to predict proximal descending aortic diameter prior to dissection?

OBJECTIVE: The predissection aortic diameter is the best reference for determining the size of the frozen elephant trunk in aortic dissection. We aimed to develop a new prediction method to estimate the predissection diameter of proximal descending aorta. Furthermore, we evaluated the accuracy of the estimated predissection proximal descending aortic diameters calculated using 3 prediction methods. METHODS: A total of 39 patients with acute type A aortic dissection who underwent predissection computed tomography were included in derivation sets. We measured the aortic dimensions at 3 levels of the proximal descending aorta: 5, 10, and 15 cm from zone 2. We developed a new prediction method-postdissection aortic diameter divided by 1.13 (AoDNew factor)-and estimated the predissection aortic diameter using the new and previously proposed methods by Rylski (AoDRylski) and Yamauchi (EquationYamauchi). Furthermore, we validated the new prediction method using a validation dataset with 24 patients. RESULTS: The rate of bias ≤2 mm was significantly greater with EquationYamauchi and AoDNew factor than with AoDRylski in the derivation group at each level of the proximal descending aorta (P < .001). In the validation group, the rate of bias ≤2 mm was significantly greater with EquationYamauchi and AoDNew factor than with AoDRylski at 10 cm and 15 cm from zone 2 (10 cm: P = .014, 15 cm: P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: These results suggest that the new prediction method can be used as a simple and accurate estimation method for the predissection aortic diameter at the proximal descending aorta.

Preoperative Frailty Assessed Comprehensively by a Questionnaire Predicts a Poor Survival Following Curative Resection of Gastric Cancer.

Background/Aim: The concept of frailty has been attracting attention as a comprehensive indicator of the various effects of aging, but no conclusion has been reached on how to evaluate it. The present study investigated the adverse effect of preoperative frailty on short- and long-term outcomes in patients with gastric cancer using a questionnaire about frailty. Patients and Methods: One hundred and twenty-five patients with pathological stage (p Stage) I/II/III who underwent radical gastrectomy for gastric cancer at the Department of Gastroenterological Surgery, Osaka, Japan from April 2015 to December 2016 were enrolled in this study. The frailty index (FI) was calculated by dividing the total score of 50 questions consisting of 1 point per question by 50. The study used multiple logistic regression analysis with 5-year overall survival (OS) as the endpoint to create a receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve to determine the cut-off point for the FI. The short- and long-term outcomes of the frail and non-frail groups were then compared, and prognostic factors for OS were examined. Results: Regarding the short-term outcomes, the postoperative complication rates did not differ significantly between the two groups. Regarding the 5-year OS rates of the patients with p Stages II/III, the outcomes in the frail group were significantly poorer than those in the non-frail group. In the multivariate analysis of OS, frailty was independently associated with unfavorable outcomes in patients with p Stages II/III gastric cancer. Conclusion: Frailty evaluation in this study may be useful in predicting long-term prognosis in patients undergoing surgical treatment for advanced gastric cancer.

The Evaluation of Sarcopenia before Neoadjuvant Chemotherapy Is Important for Predicting Postoperative Pneumonia in Patients with Esophageal Cancer.

INTRODUCTION: Sarcopenia is often observed in patients with esophageal cancer (EC). However, the influence of sarcopenia during neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC) on complications has not been fully investigated. Thus, we aimed to investigate the best way of evaluating sarcopenia for predicting complications, especially postoperative pneumonia (PP), in patients with EC undergoing NAC and esophagectomy. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed 113 patients. The skeletal muscle mass index (SMI) was evaluated by bioelectrical impedance analysis and/or computed tomography. Patients were diagnosed with sarcopenia at pre-NAC and preoperative timing. Different criteria were compared in terms of the predictability of PP. Next, we evaluated which factors were related to sarcopenia with the best PP predictability. RESULTS: Fifteen (13.2%) patients developed grade III or higher PP. Pre-NAC modified European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP) criteria showed the highest sensitivity (100%) and acceptable specificity (75.8%) for predicting PP. Low pre-NAC body mass index and %VC were significantly associated with sarcopenia by the modified EWGSOP criteria. CONCLUSION: Pre-NAC sarcopenia by modified EWGSOP was a significant predictor of PP after esophagectomy. Appropriate interventions for these patients should be explored to prevent PP.

Dorsal Subcutaneous Fat Thickness as a Risk Factor for Pancreatic Fistula After Gastric Cancer Surgery.

BACKGROUND/AIM: Recently, there have been many reports on the use of preoperative body composition analysis to predict postoperative complications in gastric cancer surgery, most of which used 3D image analysis software for the measurements. This study aimed to evaluate the risk of postoperative infectious complications (PICs), especially pancreatic fistulas, using a simple measurement method incorporating only preoperative computed tomography images. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 265 patients with gastric cancer underwent laparoscopic or robot-assisted gastrectomy with lymph node dissection at Osaka Metropolitan University Hospital between 2016 and 2020. To simplify the measurement method, we measured the length of each region of the subcutaneous fat area (SFA). Each area included a) umbilical depth, b) thickness of the longest ventral subcutaneous fat, c) thickness of the longest dorsal subcutaneous fat, and d) thickness of the median dorsal subcutaneous fat (MDSF) measurements. RESULTS: PICs occurred in 27 of 265 cases, of which pancreatic fistula was present in 9. SFA for pancreatic fistulas showed high diagnostic accuracy (area under the curve=0.922). Among the subcutaneous fat lengths, the MDSF was the most useful, and the optimal cut-off value was 16 mm. MDSF and non-expert surgeons were found to be independent risk factors for pancreatic fistula. CONCLUSION: Since the possibility of developing pancreatic fistula is high in cases with MDSF ≥16 mm, careful surgical strategies, such as having a skilled physician, are necessary.

Aortic Remodeling After Stepwise External Wrapping for Type A Acute Aortic Dissection.

BACKGROUND: The optimal repair technique for type A acute aortic dissection is graft replacement; however, the treatment approach in high-risk patients remains controversial or suboptimal. METHODS: We have retrospectively analyzed a cohort of high-risk patients who were admitted to our center for type A acute aortic dissection and who were treated by a new surgical approach using artificial grafts (stepwise external wrapping) between January 2016 and January 2020. The primary endpoints included inhospital mortality and survival during follow-up. Secondary endpoints included the assessment of aortic remodeling after ascending aorta wrapping. RESULTS: Among the 134 patients admitted for type A acute aortic dissection, 43 patients underwent stepwise external wrapping. The mean patient age was 79.1 ± 6.8 years. The new standard European System for Cardiac Operative Risk Evaluation score was 64% ± 12%. There was one hospital death (2.3%). There were two major complications of persistent cerebral disorder (4.6%). Minor complications included temporary neurologic disorder (2.3%) and renal failure (2.3%). The intensive care unit and hospital stays were 2.8 ± 1.0 days and 11.7 ± 2.5 days, respectively. The follow-up survival rate was 95.3% ± 6.2% and 91% ± 10.2% at 1 and 3 years, respectively, after surgery. There was no aortic-related death during follow-up. At 1 year after surgery, complete remodeling of the ascending aorta was obtained in 30 patients (85.7%), and 5 patients (14.3%) showed partial remodeling. CONCLUSIONS: Our stepwise external wrapping technique was associated with excellent outcomes for high-risk patients with type A acute aortic dissection.

Inverted Thoracic Stent Graft Technique for Separation of a Stent Graft and Bare Stent Caused by Aortic Elongation.

INTRODUCTION: Component separation (CS) of the Zenith Dissection Endovascular Graft and Stent have been reported with some causes. However, CS caused by aortic elongation has not yet been reported. A long treatment range with the sacrifice of some intercostal arteries (ICAs) is sometimes needed when repairing CS because of the large difference in the diameter between the proximal and distal landing zones with a reverse taper. CASE PRESENTATION: A 78-year-old man, who underwent thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) using a Zenith Dissection Graft and stents for acute type B aortic dissection 3 years and 8 months previously was admitted to our hospital with severe back pain. Contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT) showed separation of the SG and bare stent, and aortic elongation. As there was a large difference in the diameter of the proximal and distal landing zones with a reverse taper, a long treatment range with the sacrifice of two large ICAs was needed. Thus, TEVAR using an inverted thoracic SG technique was performed in order to shorten the treatment range to preserve a large ICA and reduce the risk of paraplegia. Completion angiography showed that the separation was repaired with preservation of the large ICA. The postoperative course was uneventful, and he was discharged on postoperative day 10 with relief of his severe pain. At 1 year after secondary TEVAR, CT showed that the diameter of the descending aorta had decreased with no separation of the SGs. CONCLUSION: Deployment of an inverted thoracic SG for the treatment of CS of the Zenith Dissection Endovascular Graft and Stent is a feasible and effective procedure to preserve ICAs. An overlapping range of >1.5 times the length of a bare stent within an SG is needed to prevent CS of the Zenith Dissection Endovascular Graft and Stent caused by aortic elongation.

[A Case of Late Recurrence of Anal Canal Carcinoma after Surgery, Discovered following the Diagnosis of a Subcutaneous Tumor in the Perineal Region].

We present an 82-year-old male patient who underwent laparoscopic abdominal perineal rectal amputation and D3 lymph node dissection, including left inguinal lymph node dissection for anal canal carcinoma. Left inguinal lymph node metastasis was positive, and pT1bN2aM0, pStage Ⅲa was the final pathological diagnosis. He underwent 8 courses of capecitabine plus oxaliplatin therapy as adjuvant chemotherapy. He was examined without recurrence for 5 years postoperatively. However, he awared a perineal subcutaneous tumor and was transferred to our hospital for further examination and treatment 6 years postoperatively. Recurrence after anal canal carcinoma surgery was diagnosed based on a needle biopsy, and perineal subcutaneous tumor resection was performed. This is a rare case of late postoperative recurrence of anal canal carcinoma, which was detected due to a perineal subcutaneous tumor 6 years after surgery for anal canal carcinoma.

[A Case Report of Psoas Abscess Formation Caused by Mucinous Cystadenocarcinoma].

We report a rare case of psoas abscess formation caused by mucinous cystadenocarcinoma. A 65-year-old women was admitted to our hospital for treatment for iliopsoas abscess. She presented with standing difficulty and her laboratory data showed an increased level of leukocytes. CT scan demonstrated an abscess formation in iliopsoas muscle. Colonoscopy showed an ulcer on her cecum. Although percutaneous drainage was performed on the first day, the abscess relapsed repeatedly. Ileocolectomy was performed on post admission day 29. Abscess drainage continued after the operation, the patient was discharged on postoperative day 34. Pathological examination revealed mucinous cystadenocarcinoma on the cecal tumor. Total 8 cycles of FOLFOX6 was performed as adjuvant chemotherapy. The patient has been survived for 20 months with no recurrence.

Successful hybrid repair for ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm caused by type IIIa endoleak resulting from a disconnected contralateral limb.

The occurrence of a type IIIa endoleak after endovascular aortic repair is a rare, but crucial, complication leading to rupture. Treatment of a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm caused by a type IIIa endoleak can sometimes be challenging. We have reported the case of a 78-year-old man who had presented with a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm caused by a type IIIa endoleak resulting from disconnection of a contralateral limb. The patient underwent hybrid repair using manual reconnection of the limbs with laparotomy and an endovascular technique, including balloon occlusion of the infrarenal aorta and new contralateral limb deployment. We found this hybrid repair to be an effective and minimally invasive procedure when total endovascular repair would have been difficult.

Early Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair for Type B Aortic Dissection Increases the Success of Aortic Remodeling.

BACKGROUND: Type B aortic dissection (TBAD) is treated with thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). However, the optimal timing of the surgical intervention remains unclear. We aimed to investigate whether the timing of TEVAR impacts aortic remodeling. METHODS: Forty-three patients with TBAD (31 men and 12 women) who had undergone surgical intervention with TEVAR between January 2014 and June 2021 were retrospectively evaluated. The relationship between the timing of TEVAR and success of aortic remodeling was assessed using linear regression analysis. Successful aortic remodeling was defined by a reduction of diametric ratio (false lumen/aorta) at 3 points (thoracic region, thoracoabdominal region, and abdominal region) and measured using computed tomography both pre- and post-operatively. The level of statistical significance was set at P < 0.05. RESULTS: The timing of TEVAR after symptom onset was defined as early (≤14 days, n = 27, group E) or late (≥15 days, n = 16, group L). The median duration from symptom onset to TEVAR in groups E and L were 3 days (interquartile range [IQR], 1.5-6 days) and 196 days (IQR, 89.8-252.3 days), respectively (P < 0.001). Patent type, rupture, malperfusion, and continuous pain were present preoperatively in 82%, 3.7%, 14.8%, and 33.3% of patients in group E, respectively, and in 37.5%, 0%, 6.3%, and 0% of patients in group L, respectively. In group E, thoracic aortic diameter and false luminal thickness were decreased significantly from pre- to post-operation (36.9 ± 12.4 vs. 35 ± 12.7 mm, P = 0.03; 13.6 ± 6.2 vs. 3.4 ± 4.5 mm, P < 0.001, respectively). Whereas, thoracic aortic diameter significantly increased, and false luminal thickness did not significantly change pre- and post-operation in group L (32.7 ± 9.5 vs. 37 ± 12.8 mm, P = 0.041; 9.1 ± 4.5 vs. 7.5 ± 9.5 mm, P = 0.4, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that early intervention for TBAD with TEVAR increases the success of aortic remodeling.

Relationship of acute type A aortic dissection and disseminated intravascular coagulation.

OBJECTIVE: Acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) is a critical disease presenting with disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC). However, the relationship between the degree of DIC and false lumen conditions remains unclear. In the present study, we evaluated the degree of preoperative DIC and the outcomes of ATAAD treatment. METHODS: A total of 124 patients with ATAAD (70 men and 54 women) treated from January 2012 to January 2020 were included in the present study. The correlation between the preoperative Japanese Association for Acute Medicine (JAAM) DIC score and the false lumen diameter and length, measured using preoperative computed tomography, was examined retrospectively. The correlations were calculated using liner regression analysis. The level of statistical significance was set at P < .05. RESULTS: The patients were divided into two groups: a low JAAM DIC score group and a high JAAM DIC score group. The preoperative JAAM DIC scores in the high- and low-score groups were 4.8 ± 1.2 and 1.7 ± 2.3, respectively (P < .001). The 5-year survival rates and aortic event-free rates in the low-score group were favorable compared with the high-score group; however, the differences were not statistically significant (80.8% vs 54.5%, P = .065; 63.9% vs 59.8%, P = .15, respectively). The false lumen diameter in the ascending aorta was greater in the high-score group than that in the low-score group (P < .05). The JAAM DIC score correlated significantly with the ascending false lumen diameter and the dissection length (r = 0.32 and P < .001; r = 0.29 and P = .001, respectively). A high JAAM DIC score was associated with communicating-type ATAAD (P < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that high preoperative JAAM DIC scores are associated with a large false lumen and communicating-type ATAAD.

Stepwise external wrapping procedure for type A intramural hematoma.

BACKGROUND: The optimal treatment for Stanford type A acute intramural hematoma remains controversial, especially in elderly or high-risk patients. METHODS: We have developed a new surgical approach using artificial grafts (stepwise external wrapping) for high-risk patients. The aim of this study is to report our results using the stepwise external wrapping procedure in the treatment of high-risk patients with type A intramural hematoma. Among the 129 patients admitted for type A intramural hematoma between January 2016 and January 2020, 49 patients underwent stepwise external wrapping. The mean patient age was 78 ± 7 years. The new standard European system for cardiac operative risk evaluation II was 54% ± 23%. The mean overall operation and cardiopulmonary bypass times were 96 ± 13 minutes and 35 ± 10 minutes, respectively. RESULTS: There were no hospital deaths. Two cases of temporary neurologic disorder, 1 case of renal failure, and 2 cases of wound infection occurred during the postoperative period. The intensive care unit and hospital stays were 2 ± 1 days and 10 ± 3 days, respectively. The thickness of intramural hematoma that had been the target of the stepwise external wrapping procedure decreased significantly from 18.0 ± 10.7 mm preoperatively to 5.2 ± 4.4 mm at 3 months after surgery (P < .05). The follow-up survival was 97.7% ± 4.4 % at 1 year after surgery and 89.8% ± 11.4% at 3 years after surgery. There was no aortic-related death during follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: Our stepwise external wrapping is a feasible alternative to conventional graft replacement for high-risk patients with type A intramural hematoma. The early and midterm outcomes of the procedure were satisfactory, but further careful follow-up is needed.

[A Case of Late Recurrence of Esophageal Cancer, 15 Years after Surgery].

A 79-year-old man who underwent radical surgery for esophageal cancer in 2006, returned to our hospital in 2021 with a complaint of swelling in the right side of the neck. He was diagnosed with postoperative recurrence of esophageal cancer in the right cervical lymph node. In this study, we report a case of a late recurrence of esophageal cancer in which metastatic recurrence was observed 15 years after surgery. A detailed discussion of previous literature is additionally included.

Use of coagulation-fibrinolysis markers for prognostication of Stanford type A acute aortic dissection.

PURPOSE: Coagulation-fibrinolysis markers are widely used for the diagnosis of Stanford type A acute aortic dissection (SAAAD). However, the role of these markers in estimating prognosis remains unclear. METHODS: A single-center retrospective study was conducted to identify the relationship between preoperative D-dimer and fibrinogen levels on SAAAD postoperative early prognosis. RESULTS: Of 238 SAAAD patients who underwent surgery between January 2012 and December 2018, 201 (84.5%) and 37 (15.5%) patients constituted the survival and non-survival groups, respectively, 30 days after surgery. D-dimer and fibrinogen levels in the survival and non-survival groups were 45.2 ± 74.3 vs. 91.5 ± 103.6 µg/mL (p = 0.014) and 224.3 ± 95.6 vs. 179.9 ± 96.7 µg/mL (p = 0.012), respectively. According to logistic predictor analysis of 30-day mortality, significant factors showed patent type (OR 10.89, 95% CI 1.66-20.31) and malperfusion (OR 4.63, 95% CI 1.74-12.32). Increasing D-dimer (per +10 µg/mL) and decreasing fibrinogen (per -10 µg/mL) were significantly associated with patent type and malperfusion. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to distinguish between survival and non-survival. The cutoff value of D-dimer was 60 µg/mL (sensitivity 61.1%; specificity 82.5%; area under curve [AUC] 0.713 ± 0.083); fibrinogen was 150 mg/dL (sensitivity 44.4%; specificity 84.0%; AUC 0.647 ± 0.092). Kaplan-Meier survival curve analysis showed that patients with D-dimer levels > 60 µg/mL and fibrinogen levels < 150 mg/dL had significantly low survival rates at 30 days after surgery (60.0%, p < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Preoperative coagulation-fibrinolysis markers may be useful for predicting early prognosis in SAAAD.

[Less Invasive Surgical Closure of the Left Atrial Appendage for Cardiogenic Cerebral Embolism in a Patient with Dilated Cardiomyopathy].

Less invasive surgical closure of the left atrial appendage is recommended to prevent cardiogenic thromboembolism in patients with chronic non-valvular atrial fibrillation( Af) and other high-risk cardiac diseases such as dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM). We report a case of a 57-year-old man with Af and DCM. Catheter ablation for Af was contraindicated in this patient with a history of cardiogenic thromboembolism, and anticoagulation therapy was initiated. Despite anticoagulation therapy, the patient developed another ischemic stroke and we administered aggressive anticoagulation therapy resulting in successful resolution of the left atrial appendage thrombus. Less invasive surgical closure of the left atrial appendage was successfully performed, and thromboembolism has not recurred for one year postoperatively.

Custom-made iliac fenestrated endoprosthesis for the treatment of internal iliac artery aneurysm with preservation of the superior gluteal artery.

A 56-year-old man with huge bilateral internal iliac artery aneurysms (IIAAs) had emergently undergone right common iliac artery replacement. Intermittent claudication was induced by 8 minutes of walking on postoperative day 16. Endovascular repair using a custom-made iliac fenestrated endoprosthesis for the treatment of the left IIAA with preservation of the superior gluteal artery was performed on postoperative day 20 without discharging the patient. The patient had no ischemic complications. When an IIAA with a short length (<55 mm) and large diameter (>21 mm) of the common iliac artery is anatomically suitable, the placement of a custom-made iliac fenestrated endoprosthesis is a feasible and effective technique.

Hybrid stepwise external wrapping for type a acute aortic dissection with cerebral Malperfusion.

BACKGROUND: Acute aortic dissection (AAD) is a life-threatening condition which can lead to coronary, brachiocephalic or branch vessel malperfusion, as well as aortic valve insufficiency, or aortic rupture. Mortality of surgical treatment in high-risk or elderly patients with Type A AAD (TAAAD) still remains high, and treatment for such patients remains controversial. We report a successful treatment of TAAAD with a communicating false lumen in a 60-year-old man with acute hemi-cerebral malperfusion. CASE PRESENTATION: The ascending aorta was wrapped with stepwise external wrapping (SEW) procedure, and subsequent thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) was successfully performed. The patient was discharged in good physical condition without any complications. CONCLUSIONS: Hybrid therapy with SEW and TEVAR with TAAAD associated with major cerebral malperfusion should be considered, especially in patients for whom open surgery is extremely risky.

Umbilical hernia in a patient with liver cirrhosis.

This manuscript presents a case report of umbilical hernia in a patient with liver cirrhosis, associated with acute kidney injury. The purpose of this article is to facilitate physicians in understanding that emergent treatment is required for the incarcerated umbilical hernia and this condition can be associated with acute kidney injury.

Early and Middle-Term Results and Anticoagulation Strategy after Left Atrial Appendage Exclusion Using an Epicardial Clip Device.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to evaluate short- and middle-term results and postoperative anticoagulation of left atrial appendage (LAA) exclusion with an epicardial clip device. MATERIALS AND METHODS: From September 2017 to August 2019, 102 patients at our institution underwent epicardial LAA exclusion using the AtriClip device. Anticoagulation therapy was resumed in the very early postoperative period and continued for at least three months after surgery. The patients' data were obtained by reviewing their medical records retrospectively. RESULTS: The mean and median durations of follow-up was 510 ± 184 days and 482 days (range, 216-938 days), respectively. Successful LAA exclusion was confirmed in all but one patient. No device-related complications occurred during surgery. Postoperative computed tomography (CT) findings revealed no migration or displacement of the clips in any patient; however, small clots were observed at the LAA stump in seven patients. Stroke-free rate during the follow-up period was 98.9%. CONCLUSION: LAA exclusion using the AtriClip device was a feasible treatment method in terms of its early and middle-term safety and efficacy. In addition, our postoperative anticoagulation strategy could be optimal for maximizing the procedure's merits, although further studies, involving a larger number of patients and longer duration of follow-up, are needed.