@abob my wife is about to have an ablation shortly and she is considering the watchmen. She would have a hard time tolerating blood thinners so a watchmen may be an option. It is supposed to restrict the forming of clots so a blood thinner would not be required except for maybe a short time after surgery. One issue is the skill set of the Electrophysiologist's skill with placement. Its also supposed be a shorter time under anesthesia. Its use is evaluated on a case by case basis.