Among the risks to atrial fibrillation patients is the possibility that blood will thicken and clot in the heart’s left atrial appendage-which is especially dangerous for people who cannot tolerate Coumadin. To meet that need, the Cleveland Clinic recently received FDA approval for a metal clip-resembling a woman’s spring-loaded hair barrette-that pinches off the appendage after its put in place by a “keyhole” procedure, entering between the ribs. The advantage, of course, is that this corrects the problem from the outside of the heart.   MORE