Genesis HealthCare System surgeons perform 300th WATCHMAN Implant surgery

Zanesville Times Recorder
·1 min read

ZANESVILLE – Genesis HealthCare System’s Heart and Vascular team recently performed the 300th WATCHMAN Implant procedure.

The WATCHMAN Implant is completed through a minimally invasive procedure and can reduce the risk of stroke and eliminate the use of blood thinners for patients with atrial fibrillation. The procedure is performed by interventional and structural cardiologist Dr. Kinan Kassar and electrophysiologist Dr. Shaun Bhatty.

Atrial fibrillation (AFib) is a common type of heart arrhythmia that causes the heart to beat irregularly. It occurs when upper chambers of the heart (right and left atria) no longer contract but instead quiver, allowing blood to stagnate and blood clots to form, especially in the left atrial appendage.

During the procedure, the WATHCMAN Implant is inserted through a thin tube that runs from a blood vessel in the upper leg to the left atrial appendage of the heart. The WATCHMAN Implant seals off the left atrial appendage, where 90% of stroke-causing blood clots come from within the heart. Patients typically return home on the same day. Most WATCHMAN patients can stop using blood thinners 45 days after the procedure and, in some cases, immediately after the procedure.

This article originally appeared on Zanesville Times Recorder: WATCHMAN Implant surgery performed 300 times at Genesis HealthCare