Genesis HealthCare System is First in the Region to Perform WATCHMAN Procedure
ZANESVILLE, OH – On June 1st Genesis HealthCare System became the first hospital in the region to perform a new heart procedure.
Dr. Mohamed Ahmed tells us about the WATCHMAN Implant Procedure.
“The WATCHMAN is a procedure to help patients with atrial fibrillation that cannot be on blood thinners, as we know our patients with atrial fibrillation, know that most of them need to be on blood thinners because there is higher risk of stroke when you have atrial fibrillation. The WATCHMEN procedure is a little device that we put in the heart to close that left atrial appendage, so if we close the left atrial appendage then we can take patients off blood thinners and that will reduce the risk for stroke without being on blood thinners.”
Dr. Shaun Bhatty explains that if a patient has atrial fibrillation and cannot be on blood thinners, they have a solution.
“The people who would qualify for the WATCHMEN device are people who either have an intolerance or are not able to be on a blood thinner. Whether they have bleeding trouble or bleeding in the GI system or bleeding in the brain, those are people who can benefit from the WATCHMAN because they could potentially be taken off of blood thinners in the future and prevent the need to be on the blood thinning medicine in the future.”
Dr. Abimbola Shofu is also involved in the procedure as she does the imaging before, during, and after to make sure the device is adequately placed and sized and to ensure that there are no complications.
