On Thursday I am scheduled to go for a procedure to have a Watchman device fitted inside my heart at John Radcliffe Hospital here in Oxford under supervision of the Cardiac Research Team.
I volunteered to do this as part of a world wide trial covering 3000 patients to assess the reduction in stroke risk from this procedure compared to taking modern anticoagulants like Apixaban over the long term. 1500 will have Watchman 1500 will be in the control group and continue with anticoagulants. The Watchman device is widely used in USA and Europe for people who cannot take warfarin. It involves fitting an expandable device into the left atrial lobe which effectively seals this area off. It has been shown that by far the majority of AFib related blood clots originate in this area of the heart so by sealing it off, the blood flow in the atrium is smoother and therefore less likely to result in clotting. This in turn significantly reduces stroke risk along with other morbidities back to normal levels for AFib patients.
Anticoagulants in themselves are not risk free especially as many of you know as we all age and there is a reluctance by some to take them. So this research will assess the effectiveness in reducing risk of prescribed non-warfarin anti-coagulants. The trial will be monitoring participating patients for 5 years. It’s not cutting edge science in itself, just comparing the efficacy of two types of established treatments.
I am assured the procedure which is carried out under general anaesthetic is routine and similar to having a stent fitted and takes around 30-60 minutes in total.
Here is a link with video produced by Boston Scientific -the device manufacturer, explaining the process and rationale if you’re interested in finding out more.
My reason for posting is two fold - firstly to raise awareness about the process and to give some hope to fellow long term AFib sufferers that progress (hopefully) is being made here in the UK in finding alternatives to taking anti coagulants. Secondly to ask whether any others who have experienced having Watchman fitted would like to share their experience particularly regarding post operative recovery and any side effects .
Best wishes to all
Jeff
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JefferyW
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Just be careful as if your LAA is not perfectly round the watchman does not always seal it off completely. I’d hate for someone to go off blood thinners thinking they were safe and then have a stroke because it wasn’t fitted properly.
Thanks I will only come off anticoagulants after post procedure tests show that the LAA is effectively sealed. Because it’s a trial there is extensive post procedure non invasive monitoring.
there have been advances recently in the watchman technology, making it a more snug fit. This will be a really interesting trial, great for you taking part, wishing you the best of luck.
Hi, I was put forward for a Watchman device on the NHS back in 2018 at Bart's hospital. It was under GA but due to not being a good fit I was given an Amplatzer amulet which is basically the same thing just a different make and has been around for a while. I was unable to take anticoagulants due to another condition and so far it seems to be doing a good job, if you want any details of the op itself please feel free to message me as others on here may be getting sick of hearing about it by now 🤣🤣Angie
Hi I was attending the JR for review of another trial relating to my recent ablation procedure. I was invited to take part in another trial which turned out to be the Watchman trial I described.
To qualify you had to have had AFib ( I have had 2 ablations) and be taking apixaban or a similar category of anticoagulant with a Chad score of 2 or more. They then conducted a range of blood tests and an echocardiogram plus health questionnaires. I was told I had passed the initial screening process and allowed my name to go forward for random selection. Other than that I am not sure how I got in.
Good luck with the trial. Great that they are checking it all out to see that it’s working. I think these must be really useful for when people are starting to be unsteady on their feet and taking falls.
my Mams Dr at the Freemen Hospital suggested fitting her with one. She had a really bad bleed in her stomach last April so if she could stop the anticoagulants it would be less severe if it happened again. So far he’s fitted her with a pacemaker, performed an ablation and we see him for a check up on Monday. So hopefully he’ll know if he’s going to do the procedure or not then, Mams 88 in February so I was over the moon he suggested what he did. I asked him what he’d do if it was his own Mam then we said right we’ll go with that. I’m sure he said the device costs around 25k too. Good luck with yours, I’ll have a look at that link 😊
I am in the same trial with Boston Scientific, but got randomized to the control group. 😞 I was really hoping to get off the Eliquis. I'm 71, but have no current issues with Eliquis (except I sometimes look like I've been beat on), and I've had no AFib incidences in 3 years.
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