We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. This includes personalizing content and advertising. To learn more, click here. By continuing to use our site, you accept our use of cookies. Cookie Policy.

Features Partner Sites Information LinkXpress
Sign In
Advertise with Us

Download Mobile App




Cardiac Closure Device Reduces Stroke Risk

By HospiMedica International staff writers
Posted on 05 Apr 2015
Print article
The Watchman LAA closure device
The Watchman LAA closure device (Photo courtesy of )
An innovative left atrial appendage (LAA) closure device assists high-risk patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AF) who are seeking an alternative to long-term warfarin therapy.

The Watchman LAA closure system consists of a delivery catheter, an access sheath that serves as a conduit for the delivery catheter, and the LAA closure device itself, which is permanently implanted at or slightly distal to the ostium of the LAA, blocking it off to prevent thrombus embolization. The Watchman LAA is made of a nitinol frame with a polyethylene terephthalate (PET) membrane cap, and is available in five diameters (21, 24, 27, 30, and 33 mm); 10 active fixation anchors provide stability and retention. The access sheath is available in either a double or single curve distal tip.

A transesophageal echocardiogram (TEE) is first performed to determine device size. The placement procedure is performed in a catheterization laboratory, using standard transseptal technique. Once the inter-atrial septum is crossed, the access sheath is advanced over a guidewire into the left atrium and onto the distal portion of the LAA over a pigtail catheter. The Watchman is then advanced under fluoroscopic guidance and deployed into the LAA. The Watchman LAA closure device is a product of Boston Scientific (Natick, MA, USA), and has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

“Boston Scientific is proud to offer this potentially life-changing stroke risk treatment option to high-risk patients with AF who have a reason to seek a non-drug alternative to warfarin,” said Joe Fitzgerald, executive vice president and president of rhythm management at Boston Scientific. “FDA approval of the Watchman device is another example of Boston Scientific delivering on its commitment to bring meaningful innovations to patient care.”

“The Watchman device is a breakthrough treatment providing those patients who are suitable for warfarin with an implant-based alternative to long-term warfarin therapy while still reducing the risk of stroke,” said Vivek Reddy, MD, director of the cardiac arrhythmia service at Mount Sinai Medical Center (Miami, FL, USA). “We know that up to 40% of patients who are eligible for oral anticoagulation do not take it for numerous reasons, highlighting the need for additional treatment options.”

The LAA is a small, ear-shaped sac in the muscle wall of the left atrium. In normal hearts, the heart contracts with each heartbeat, and the blood in the left atrium and LAA is squeezed out into the left ventricle. When a patient has AF, the chaotic impulses do not give the atria time to contract, and blood collects and can form clots in the LAA and atria. The LAA is thought to be the source of more than 90% of stroke-causing blood clots that come from the heart in non-valvular AF patients.

Related Links:

Boston Scientific
Mount Sinai Medical Center


Gold Member
POC Blood Gas Analyzer
Stat Profile Prime Plus
Gold Member
Disposable Protective Suit For Medical Use
Disposable Protective Suit For Medical Use
Silver Member
Compact 14-Day Uninterrupted Holter ECG
NR-314P
New
LED Phototherapy System
Bililed Mini+
Read the full article by registering today, it's FREE! It's Free!
Register now for FREE to HospiMedica.com and get complete access to news and events that shape the world of Hospital Medicine.
  • Free digital version edition of HospiMedica International sent by email on regular basis
  • Free print version of HospiMedica International magazine (available only outside USA and Canada).
  • Free and unlimited access to back issues of HospiMedica International in digital format
  • Free HospiMedica International Newsletter sent every week containing the latest news
  • Free breaking news sent via email
  • Free access to Events Calendar
  • Free access to LinkXpress new product services
  • REGISTRATION IS FREE AND EASY!
Click here to Register








Channels

Critical Care

view channel
Image: The permeable wearable electronics developed for long-term biosignal monitoring (Photo courtesy of CityUHK)

Super Permeable Wearable Electronics Enable Long-Term Biosignal Monitoring

Wearable electronics have become integral to enhancing health and fitness by offering continuous tracking of physiological signals over extended periods. This monitoring is crucial for understanding an... Read more

Patient Care

view channel
Image: The newly-launched solution can transform operating room scheduling and boost utilization rates (Photo courtesy of Fujitsu)

Surgical Capacity Optimization Solution Helps Hospitals Boost OR Utilization

An innovative solution has the capability to transform surgical capacity utilization by targeting the root cause of surgical block time inefficiencies. Fujitsu Limited’s (Tokyo, Japan) Surgical Capacity... Read more

Health IT

view channel
Image: First ever institution-specific model provides significant performance advantage over current population-derived models (Photo courtesy of Mount Sinai)

Machine Learning Model Improves Mortality Risk Prediction for Cardiac Surgery Patients

Machine learning algorithms have been deployed to create predictive models in various medical fields, with some demonstrating improved outcomes compared to their standard-of-care counterparts.... Read more

Point of Care

view channel
Image: The PATHFAST hs-cTnI-II high-sensitivity troponin assay has been developed for the PATHFAST Biomarker Analyzer (Photo courtesy of Polymedco)

POC Myocardial Infarction Test Delivers Results in 17 Minutes

Chest pain is the second leading cause of emergency department (ED) visits by adults in the United States, generating over 7 million visits annually. In the event of a suspected heart attack, physicians... Read more
Copyright © 2000-2024 Globetech Media. All rights reserved.