Watchman Procedure

The risks of a Watchman causing you dangerous harm, thrombosis and stroke, for examples, is much less than hitting your head and having the same thing happen due to brain hemorrhage. You have a high probability of both falling and hitting your head........................................as you plainly know.

A properly installed Watchman will be fully sealed, as determined by a TEE at the six month mark, in which case your EP will probably agree to let you go off any anti-coagulant. This presupposes that you needn't also take a DOAC or coumadin for another condition.

As always, these questions are best passed by your EP or cardiologist. The only EP in the USA that I know of, because so many people on my other forum about AF swear by him, is Dr. Andrea Natale of the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute, an extremely busy and highly sought Alpha in the field of electrophysiology, world renowned. People literally fly from all over to meet him at one of the many hospitals in the west of USA to which he routinely travels to perform ablations. He does allow people with no discernible leakage, and where a TEE confirms that the device is fully installed and sealed, to forego DOACs from then on. So, once again, the person performing any surgeries on you is the person to run this past.

Just had a watchman installed. I’m hopeful I will be able to come off the blood thinners in 45 days after he looks at the TEE. My surgeon is highly skilled. I’m familiar with Dr Natale being a member of STopAFIB. Org and I routinely attend via the internet their yearly conference on the latest news regarding AFIB. There are many really good surgeons besides the most famous and could schedule your procedure sooner. The key is research and number of procedures. Ask/talk to people in your area. It also helps to have a sibling who has traveled the road before you. It runs in our family, my 53 year old daughter is facing her first Ablation soon. She consulted with 3 EP’s. Technology is moving very fast. What was standard 5 years ago (my first ablation) is no longer standard. Best of luck in your search.

Hello @gdcm. I'd like to invite @johnnoregon and @debithejedi in addition to @kcpdohn3333 to share their experiences with the watchman procedure.

Thank you and I will be happy to once I’m completed. I just had the Watchman inserted 1 week ago. I have a follow up appointment mid June for the following purpose. A TEE (where they go down with tiny camera and EP will look around the heart to be sure the Watchman is still placed properly (not moved) and I have healed from the ablation and no clots present. I understand there will be a 3 week follow up appointment with EP to discuss whether I will be able to stop taking the blood thinner ive been on for 15 years or not. We don’t know and my EP has said we will see. Based on that it seems I should wait until the offical results are decided on. I am happy to answer questions or clarify statements made. Are you asking about why it was done, why the Watchman was decided on? The EP lab procedures, technical stuff? During my 1st Ablation 5 years ago I had the opportunity to have it installed, it was new and recently approved by the FDA. Boston Scientific is the manufacturer and the Watchman has a competitor named Amulet that came of Europe and was being used over there. As is the often with Technology they improve the device after it’s been on the market and I decided to wait and see how Watchman performed and improved. The Boston Scientific Team came in to consult and assist my EP. They came to my bedside before surgery introduced themselves and assured me all would go well. I was very appreciative. I apologize for the long chapter but that’s where I am, did in surgery and I’m waiting for 46 outcome. Boston Scientific has a great website about the watchman with video showing placement position in the heart. My appendage at the the top of my atrium has been capped with a parachute with screen (watchman to prevent blood clots from entering my bloodstream). Please comment if I’ve given incorrect technical information, this what I understood.
A short procedure 1 day hospital stay.
Easy recovery. I am very active for my age (mostly walking and senior yoga 2 c a week, not overweight and try to eat properly. I have arthritis. No heart valve problems take blood pressure medication.
Hope this helps anyone considering.

What made you decide to stop taking blood thinners after so many years, and have the Watchman? I’ve been on Eliquis only a short time…but fall risk & not being able to take NSAIDs (I have Psoriatic Arthritis) is a big negative for me.

I had my Watchman implant almost three years ago. It was an overnight experience with no side effects whatsoever. Getting this implant was due to a history of slow GI bleeds, therefore it was important for me to not be on blood thinners. I agreed with Dr. Kai Sung at TriCity Cardiology in Mesa, AZ and had the implant done fairly quickly. I was monitored for the routine follow-ups and received a go to enjoy my life. I was then followed for 2 years and continue to have no problems as of today. I don't remember any problems with the Watchman. It's been a breeze and I don't have to worry about bleeds any more.

Thank you, this is good to hear. I live in Mesa also; my Cardiologist is at the Mayo Clinic. The Watchman procedure seems a bit scary to me (I guess anything in the heart would!). My husband & I travel extensively and the thought of having a bleed event on a cruise ship in the middle of the ocean, a remote location, or 3rd World country is concerning. Bottom line: I don’t want to change my current life-style.

It has been a great experience for my young adult son. He had his Watchman in January. Has had 2 follow up cardiac CT's. He took Eliquis for 6 weeks with a daily 81 mg. aspirin. Then Plavix and continued the 81 mg. aspirin for an additional 6 weeks . Now he is just on the aspirin. Scary. Yes. anytime a heart procedure happens, it has risks. But, the percentages of where the clots usually form (in the left upper appendage) that form in the heart and the success rate of the Watchman made it a pretty easy decision to move forward with it.

Hi Justin and @gdcm. I had a stroke in 2020 caused by a warfarin overdose at my hospital. I also have a sizeable dose of Afib, flutter, and CHF (diastolic dysfunction). My stroke risk was very high. My only option was a Watchman.

The surgery in 2022 was about equal to a colonoscopy experience in terms of time (one day, outpatient). It was eventless for me. Since then, I have not experienced any side effects at all. I don't even know if it's there. The appendage grew around the device, it's secure, and I'm living more comfortable knowing I have closed off the way a clot can easily travel back to my brain. If your cardiology team believes it's best, I tend to agree.

Thanks so much to everyone, I feel much less nervous about it now. My Cardiologist appointment is in June… if he recommends I will go forward with the procedure.