Left Atrial Appendage Closure Reaches 96% at One Year
VERITAS trial results and TRAVEL III findings were presented at TCT 2026 on heart procedures for atrial fibrillation and tricuspid regurgitation.
Updated on Nov. 2, 2026 in Heart Disease
Results from the VERITAS trial showed complete left atrial appendage closure in 96.3% of 458 patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation one year after the procedure using the Amulet 360 device. Separately, the TRAVEL III trial found that transjugular tricuspid valve replacement added to optimal medical therapy outperformed medical therapy alone in patients with severe tricuspid regurgitation.
Why it matters
Atrial fibrillation patients at elevated stroke risk often need alternatives to long-term blood thinners, and these results report high closure rates alongside low rates of device thrombosis and stroke. The findings add to a growing set of options for patients with heart valve and rhythm conditions.
In VERITAS, clinically relevant device-related thrombosis occurred in 0.4% of patients, all-cause mortality in 3.9%, and major bleeding in 6.6%, with no device embolizations reported. Outcomes beyond one year were not described in the data provided.
The players
Amulet 360 device
The Amulet 360 is a left atrial appendage occluder device used to close the appendage and reduce stroke risk in atrial fibrillation patients.
LuX-Valve Plus system
The LuX-Valve Plus is a transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement system evaluated in the TRAVEL III trial.
The details
VERITAS enrolled patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation at elevated thromboembolism risk, with a mean age of 74 years and 38.4% women; ischemic stroke or systemic embolism occurred in 1.8% and pericardial effusion requiring intervention in 0.9%. TRAVEL III randomized 126 patients with severe or greater tricuspid regurgitation and NYHA class III to IV symptoms to transjugular TTVR with the LuX-Valve Plus system plus optimal medical therapy, or optimal medical therapy alone.
Timeline
Results were presented at TCT 2026, with the VERITAS one-year closure assessment and the TRAVEL III 30-day safety and six-month efficacy endpoints reported.
Health Landscape
These findings extend the body of trials comparing left atrial appendage occlusion with long-term anticoagulation for nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. The TRAVEL III results add evidence that transcatheter tricuspid valve replacement can improve outcomes for severe tricuspid regurgitation when layered on medical therapy.
For people with atrial fibrillation who cannot take long-term blood thinners, left atrial appendage closure is one procedural option under study. Patients with significant tricuspid regurgitation and persistent symptoms may discuss transcatheter valve options with their cardiologist alongside medical therapy.
The takeaway
Procedural options for atrial fibrillation stroke prevention and tricuspid valve disease continue to expand, and patients should review candidacy with their treating cardiologist. Trial results reflect specific study populations, so individual outcomes will vary.
Further reading
Explore more on Heart Disease and how these procedures fit into current cardiac care.
