Left atrial appendage (LAA) closure is a new treatment option for the prevention of stroke in patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF). Conventional 2-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (2D TEE) has some limitations in the imaging assessment of LAA closure. Real-time 3-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography (RT-3D TEE) allows for detailed morphologic assessment of the LAA. In this study, we aim to determine the clinical values of RT-3D TEE in the periprocedure of LAA closure.Thirty-eight persistent or paroxysmal AF patients with indications for LAA closure were enrolled in this study. RT-3D TEE full volume data of the LAA were recorded before operation to evaluate the anatomic feature, the landing zone dimension, and the depth of the LAA. On this basis, selection of LAA closure device was carried out. During the procedure, RT-3D TEE was applied to guide the interatrial septal puncture, device operation, and evaluate the occlusion effects. The patients were follow-up 1 month and 3 months postclosure.Twenty-eight (73.7%) patients with AF received placement of LAA occlusion device under RT-3D TEE. Eleven cases with single-lobe LAAs were identified using RT-3D TEE, among which 4 showed limited depth. Seventeen cases showed bilobed or multilobed LAA. Seven cases received LAA closure using Lefort and 21 using LAmbre based on the 3D TEE and radiography. The landing zone dimension of the LAA measured by RT-3D TEE Flexi Slice mode was better correlated with the device size used for occlusion (r = 0.90) than 2D TEE (r = 0.88). The interatial septal puncture, the exchange of the sheath, as well as the release of the device were executed under the guidance of RT-3D TEE during the procedure. The average number of closure devices utilized for optimal plugging was (1.11 ± 0.31). There were no clinically unacceptable residual shunts, pericardial effusion, or tamponade right after occlusion. All the patients had the device well-seated and no evidence of closure related complications in the follow-up.Assessment of LAA morphology by RT-3D TEE contributes to the decision of device selection for the closure. 3D TEE is a reliable imaging modality to guide device operation and assess on-site closure.

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Objectives-The purpose of this study was to investigate the technical feasibility and accuracy of applying 3-dimensional (3D) printing of normal and abnormal fetal hearts based on spatiotemporal image correlation (STIC) volume-rendered data. Methods-Spatiotemporal image correlation volume images of 15 healthy fetuses and 15 fetuses with cardiac abnormalities were collected, and Mimics software (Materialise NV, Leuven, Belgium) was used to postprocess the volume data to obtain a 3D digital model of fetal heart and large blood vessel morphologic characteristics and to output the file to a 3D printer for printing the 3D model of the fetal heart and large blood vessels. The effect accuracy of the 3D printed model was qualitatively evaluated by showing the 3D anatomic structure of the model combined with echocardiographic or autopsy results, and the dimensional accuracy of the 3D printed model was quantitatively evaluated by comparing the measured data of the model and echocardiography. Results-In all 30 fetuses, STIC volume data of the fetal heart were successfully reprocessed and printed out, which could visually display the morphologic characteristics of the fetal heart chamber and passage of the great vessels under normal and abnormal pathologic conditions. No significant differences in all of the heart size parameters were found between the 3D digital model, 3D printed model, and routine echocardiographic images (all P > .05). Moreover, the size parameters were concordant well between the methods, and all of the data points fell within the limits of agreement. Conclusions-It is feasible to 3D print the fetal heart using STIC volumetric images as the data source, and the 3D printed model can fully and accurately display abnormal anatomic structures of the heart.