Treatment of device related thrombosis after left atrial appendage occlusion: Initial experience with low-dose apixaban.

Abstract Background Left atrial appendage (LAA) closure devices require short-term postprocedural oral antithrombotic therapy (AT) to prevent device-related thrombosis (DRT) until device endothelialization occurs. Currently, there is no consensus regarding the optimal AT strategy for DRT prevention. Methods The purpose of our case series is to summarize our experience using apixaban at reduced doses for effectively treating DRT. Results Among a total of 180 patients, 11 patients (6.1%) presented DRT and 4 were specifically treated with low-dose apixaban (2.5 mg/12 h). The mean CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores were high [5 (SD ±1.2) and 3.25 (SD ±0.5), respectively] and all patients had history of a major hemorrhagic event (BARC Score ≥3) mostly gastrointestinal (n = 3). An Amplazer Amulet device was implanted in 3 patients, and a LAmbre system in one patient. AT strategy at the time of DRT diagnosis was consistently single antiplatelet therapy in all patients. Following DRT diagnosis, reduced dose of apixaban was initiated in all the patients. No major or minor bleeding events occurred during apixaban administration. Conclusions Apixaban low dose regimen could be a feasible option to prevent DRT while keeping a low risk of bleeding.