500th procedure marks milestone in advanced care for stroke prevention

By Sara Quale, MPH, Intermountain Health Media Relations Manager

Physicians and all members of the heart care team at Saint Joseph recently celebrated the 500th procedure to implant a device that protects patients with A-fib from stroke and helps them avoid a lifetime use of blood thinners. The implant is called Watchman.

“Our team is proud to hit this milestone of 500 implants. We are working to protect patients from stroke and avoid the cost and possible complications of blood-thinning medications,” Jake Chanin, MD, medical director of the Structural Heart Program at Saint Joseph.

An estimated 7 million Americans are affected by atrial fibrillation, an irregular heart beat that can cause blood clots, and most are prescribed a blood thinner to lower their risk of stroke. But blood thinners also carry risks, including a higher risk of bleeding.

“Blood thinners can leave patients with permanent disabilities,” Chanin said. “Watchman has been shown to be equally effective in avoiding stroke, all the while, avoiding the blood thinners.”

Watchman technology has been used to treat more than 300,000 patients worldwide and is done in a single procedure with an interventional cardiologist that takes about an hour to perform. The device permanently closes the left atrial appendage to keep blood clots from entering the blood stream. By closing off this area of the heart, the risk of stroke can be reduced. Some patients eventually can stop taking blood thinning medications.

Image of Watchman implant courtesy of Modern Healthcare

Kudos and our deepest appreciation to our heart team for developing expertise in this leading-edge technology to prevent stroke.

Physicians with questions about Watchman implants or the hospital’s Structural Heart Program in general can reach Chanin by email at jake.chanin@imail.org.