Jack:
In looking for answers for you, I ran across this interesting article about a transcatheter approach to dealing with the left atrial appendage. Don't know how much it is being used yet, or if it's still experimental.
Percutaneous Closure of the Left Atrial Appendage
STEFAN OSTERMAYER, MADLEN RESCHKE, KAI BILLINGER, THOMAS TREPELS, FRANZISKA BÜSCHEK, YVES BAYARD, and HORST SIEVERT, M.D.
Patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) are at high risk of stroke. More than 15% of all strokes are due to atrial fibrillation. So far anticoagulation is the treatment of choice with a risk reduction of almost 70%. On the other hand, anticoagulation has many side effects such as intracranial or gastrointestinal hemorrhage. Closing the left atrial appendage (LAA) might be an alternative in patients who cannot take anticoagulation treatment due to contraindications or conditions in which the hazard of hemorrhage is greater than the potential clinical benefit. The PLAATO system (Percutaneous Left Atrial Appendage Transcatheter Occlusion) is a new device to close the LAA by the catheter technique. The device consists of a self-expandable nitinol cage that is covered with ePTFE. It is delivered via a specially designed 12F transseptal sheath. Small anchors along the struts prevent the occluder from embolizing. After device implantation patients are placed on aspirin only. The results of the dog model and the first clinical experiences in humans have been very promising. (J Interven Cardiol 2003;16:553-556)
Here is another link:
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www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov]
After some research, it seems there are a number of ways to deal with this, all seemingly new. Your decision is a tough one considering that your afib is not that symptomatic, or you say that it is not that bothersome. Could you answer a few more questions? Your age, any other major health problems, the frequency of your afib episodes, the duration of those episodes.
The pursestring occlusion of the left atrial appendage, using a transthoraxic approach on heart and lung maching for 2 hours seems quite invasive, risky and perhaps still experimental for a person who describes their atrial fib as "not that bothersome".
Jack, I'm sure you will get lots of suggestions and helpful hints from this BB. Although the ultimate decision is yours, you can benifit from those who have been, and are, where you are.
Pam