Blog Post

Watchman®: Implant Alternative to Reduce Risk of Stroke in Afib Patients

February 20, 2023

Blog Post

Watchman®: Implant Alternative to Reduce Risk of Stroke in Afib Patients

February 20, 2023
By: Vigyan Bang, MD
Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is an irregular often rapid heart rate that causes poor blood circulation in one of the heart chambers.

This can lead to blood clot formation that can lead to stroke. It affects about five million people in the United States, and a treatment option for some of these patients is the Watchman® procedure. 

The Watchman is a device for patients who are at a high risk for stroke due to atrial fibrillation and need an alternative to blood thinners. Freeman Heart & Vascular Institute was the first in the region to offer Watchman. 

To determine if a patient is a candidate for Watchman, a team of Freeman physicians will evaluate your risk for stroke as well as bleeding. A transesophageal echo is performed to identify if this is the right treatment option for you. During the Watchman procedure, the physician inserts a narrow tube through the femoral vein. The physician then guides the implant, which is about the size of a quarter, into the left atrial appendage of the heart. It excludes the left atrial appendage, so no blood clot can form in it, thereby reducing the risk for stroke and simultaneously eliminating the need for a blood thinner.

The hour long procedure is done under general anesthesia, and most patients go home the next day. 

The Watchman procedure is a team approach. Freeman cardiologists Dr. Vigyan Bang, Dr. Ryan Longnecker, Dr. John Swartz and Dr. Darwin Jeyraj specialize in this procedure.

For more information about Freeman Heart & Vascular Institute – and to learn about types of heart conditions, early detection, risk factors and more helpful resources – visit freemanhealth.com/hearts or call 417.347.5000.