THE NEED

Each year, 33 million people worldwide suffer a stroke, 20% of which are caused by Non Valvular Atrial Fibrillation (NVAF), a life-threatening heart rhythm disease. In AF, blood clots are formed in the LAA, a small sac in the wall of the left atrium of the heart. 90% of strokes in NVAF patients are caused by migration of these clots to the brain.

Due to the LAA’s complex structure, it is difficult to close it completely by the current marketed devices and blood clots can still leak to the brain. Another risk of these devices is the potential formation of device-related thromboembolism because of foreign material implants that are left in the heart. The implantation procedure is complicated.