A Better Way to Reduce Stroke Risk for Some AFIB Patients
The WATCHMAN™ device is the only FDA-approved implant proven to reduce
stroke risk in people with atrial fibrillation (AFIB) that is not caused
by a heart valve problem. Boulder Heart's cardiac specialists - led by
Srinivas Iyengar, MD, one of Colorado's most experienced WATCHMAN physicians
- are the only team providing this innovative, minimally invasive procedure
in Boulder County, at Foothills Hospital in Boulder.
To learn more about WATCHMAN or make an appointment,
call
303-442-2395.
Atrial Fibrillation & Stroke Risk
People with AFIB are at a much higher risk of developing a stroke than
those with a regular heartbeat. Atrial fibrillation can significantly
decrease the heart’s pumping capacity, which increases the risk
of clots forming—particularly in the left atrial appendage (LAA),
a small sac in the left atrium (the top left heart chamber). If a clot
escapes and travels to another part of the body, it may limit blood supply
to the brain and cause a stroke.
Reducing Stroke Risk for AFIB Patients
Blood-thinning medications, such as warfarin, can be an effective way to
reduce stroke risk in AFIB patients. However, there are potential barriers
for certain individuals — primarily an increased risk of major bleeding,
especially for older adults at high risk of falls. Additionally, people
who enjoy an active lifestyle may want to avoid long-term use of blood-thinners
due to concerns about bleeding in the event they sustain an injury while
pursuing a favorite sport or activity.
Finally, long-term use of blood-thinners requires frequent blood tests,
dietary restrictions and high prescription costs. The WATCHMAN procedure
could be the right alternative for some individuals.
The WATCHMAN Procedure
Boulder Heart is proud to offer patients the WATCHMAN FLX™ Pro Left
Atrial Appendage Closure (LAAC) Device. Dr. Iyengar's team at Foothills
Hospital was the first in Colorado (full market release) in Feb. 2024
to implant this next-generation, updated device with three new features
that advance performance and safety and ensure the best long-term outcomes.
These features include a permanent device coating to promote faster healing
time, an additional device size to treat the widest range of anatomies,
and visualization markers to position and anchor the device with an enhanced
level of accuracy. This technology is built upon the most studied and
implanted LAAC device in the world.
“I’m very proud to have performed one of the first implants
of the WATCHMAN FLX Pro in Colorado at our facility, Foothills Hospital,”
says Dr. Iyengar. “This latest-generation WATCHMAN device offers
my patients a potentially life-changing stroke risk treatment and will
allow us to treat a broad range of patients thanks to the expanded size
matrix.”
BCH also utilizes the WATCHMAN TruSteer™ Access System - a complement
to the WATCHMAN FLX Pro™ - which supports steering and a greater
range of motion to position the WATCHMAN implant for more complicated
anatomies.
For people with AFIB, more than 90% of stroke-causing clots are formed
in the LAA. In order to close the LAA, your cardiologist will place the
device inside the heart through a one-time minimally invasive procedure.
A small incision is made in the upper leg and your cardiologist gently
guides the device up through a vein, where it permanently seals the opening
of the LAA and keeps it from releasing clots.
Both local and general anesthesia may be used during the procedure, which
is conducted in the Cath Lab at Foothills Hospital. Most patients are
able to go home the next day, with overall recovery averaging two to four
days. Overall procedure time for the WATCHMAN is around 45 minutes. With
the procedure taking less than an hour, patients are not under anesthesia
for a long time.
WATCHMAN Videos
Why Choose Foothills Hospital and Boulder Heart?
All WATCHMAN procedures are performed by
Dr. Srinivas Iyengar, Director of Structural Heart & Inverventional Cardiology. With more
than 100 WATCHMAN procedures successfully completed, Dr. Iyengar is the
most experienced cardiologist performing WATCHMAN in the Northern Front
Range and Denver metro areas. In fact, Dr. Iyengar has been selected to
be Colorado’s only physician certified to teach other cardiologists
how to perform WATCHMAN. In addition, Dr. Iyengar has a 100% success rate
for WATCHMAN implantation and is the highest volume Interventional Cardiologist
in Colorado implanting WATCHMAN.
Foothills Hospital is the only hospital in Boulder County to conduct WATCHMAN,
along with a handful of hospitals along Colorado’s Front Range and
about 100 hospitals across the nation.
BCH offers a full range of cardiology services at our three Boulder Heart
clinics, conveniently located across Boulder County in Boulder, Lafayette
& Longmont.
To learn more about WATCHMAN or make an appointment,
call
303-442-2395.
People with AFIB are at a much higher risk of developing a stroke than
those with a regular heartbeat. Atrial fibrillation can significantly
decrease the heart’s pumping capacity, which increases the risk
of clots forming—particularly in the left atrial appendage (LAA),
a small sac in the left atrium (the top left heart chamber). If a clot
escapes and travels to another part of the body, it may limit blood supply
to the brain and cause a stroke.
All WATCHMAN procedures are performed by
Dr. Srinivas Iyengar, Director of Structural Heart & Inverventional Cardiology. With more
than 100 WATCHMAN procedures successfully completed, Dr. Iyengar is the
most experienced cardiologist performing WATCHMAN in the Northern Front
Range and Denver metro areas. In fact, Dr. Iyengar has been selected to
be Colorado’s only physician certified to teach other cardiologists
how to perform WATCHMAN. In addition, Dr. Iyengar has a 100% success rate
for WATCHMAN implantation and is the highest volume Interventional Cardiologist
in Colorado implanting WATCHMAN.
