Grady Memorial Health has completed its first WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure (LAAC) procedure at the Heart & Vascular Center, marking a new option for stroke prevention in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AFib). The minimally invasive WATCHMAN device, developed by Boston Scientific, is designed to reduce the risk of stroke in AFib patients who are unable to take long-term blood thinners. The device works by sealing off the left atrial appendage, an area where most stroke-causing clots form in people with AFib.
Anekwe Onwuanyi, MD, Chief of Cardiology for Morehouse School of Medicine, said: “This milestone reflects our hospital’s commitment to bringing the latest, most advanced cardiac treatments to our community.”
Dr. Onwuanyi added: “The WATCHMAN procedure offers a life-changing option for patients who need an alternative to lifelong anticoagulation therapy. We are giving patients safer, more effective options tailored to their unique needs.”
The first procedures were performed by Drs. Aman Gupta, Ifeoma Ezenekwe, and Caitlin Bradley as part of a multidisciplinary team that included specialists in structural-interventional cardiology, echocardiography, and anesthesiology. With this program launch, Grady joins other hospitals across the country offering this technology.
Atrial fibrillation affects over 5 million Americans and increases stroke risk fivefold compared to those with normal heart rhythms. The WATCHMAN device has been used in more than 300,000 patients globally and is supported by clinical evidence as an alternative to long-term anticoagulant use.
