WATCHMAN™ Procedure for AFib
If you have atrial fibrillation (AFib) you may be a candidate for WATCHMAN™ — a device offering an effective alternative to blood thinners for AFib patients.
WATCHMAN™ Left Atrial Appendage Closure (LAAC) is an implantable device that blocks the left atrial appendage, so blood doesn’t pool there and form blood clots that cause blockages or stroke. The tiny wire and mesh device is threaded through a blood vessel into the heart, where it blocks blood from entering the left atrial appendage.
If you can’t take blood thinning medication, WATCHMAN™ is an effective alternative. It can help you in several ways. It reduces stroke risk if you’re unable to take blood thinners. If you do take blood thinners it can help you avoid Emergency Department visits because of uncontrolled bleeding. More importantly, even though it is impossible to cite specific numbers, doctors know the device has saved patients who otherwise would have had a stroke.
Implanting WATCHMAN™
![]()
WATCHMAN™ is implanted into your heart in a one-time procedure. To implant WATCHMAN™, Dr. Adam Chodosh makes a small cut in your upper leg and inserts a narrow tube, as done in a standard stent procedure. Your doctor then guides WATCHMAN into your heart’s left atrial appendage. The procedure is done under general anesthesia and takes about an hour. Most patients undergoing the WATCHMAN procedure stay one night in the Hospital.
Blood Thinners Eliminated in Most Patients 45 Days after Implant
In a clinical trial, 9 out of 10 people were able to stop taking warafin medication just 45 days after the WATCHMAN™ procedure. During the 45 day period, heart tissue grows over the implant to form a barrier against blood clots.
Concord Hospital Among First Hospitals in New Hampshire to Offer Watchman
Concord Hospital Center for Cardiac Care is among the first in New Hampshire to offer patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation an alternative to long-term warfarin medication with the WATCHMAN™ Left Atrial Appendage Closure (LAAC) implant. Dr. Adam Chodosh and Dr. Patrick Magnus of Concord Hospital Cardiac Associates are the cardiologists at Concord Hospital currently performing this procedure.
