TCAI in Austin Implants 1,000th WATCHMAN Device, Becomes Highest Volume Center in the World

To learn more about left atrial appendage closure for atrial fibrillation, see this recent case and video.

Last month, the Texas Cardiac Arrhythmia Institute (TCAI) at St. David’s Medical Center in Austin, Texas, implanted its 1000th WATCHMAN implant, making it the highest volume center in the world.

The 1000th case featured the WATCHMAN FLX^TM Left Atrial Appendage Closure (LAAC; Boston Scientific), the only FDA-approved device for the reduction of stroke risk in patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AFib), or AFib not caused by a heart valve problem.* It was performed by Andrea Natale, M.D., F.H.R.S., F.A.C.C., F.E.S.C., cardiac electrophysiologist and executive medical director of TCAI.

This technology is designed to reduce the risk of stroke by permanently closing off an area of the heart called the left atrial appendage (LAA) to keep harmful blood clots that can form in the LAA from entering the bloodstream and potentially causing a stroke. By closing off the LAA, the risk of stroke may be reduced and, over time, patients may be able to stop taking blood thinners, such as warfarin.

The most common treatment to reduce the risk of stroke in patients with AFib is the use of blood-thinning warfarin medication. Despite its proven efficacy, long-term warfarin medication is not well-tolerated by some patients, and it carries a significant risk for bleeding complications. Nearly half of AFib patients eligible for warfarin are currently untreated due to tolerance and adherence issues.

Up to six million Americans are estimated to be affected by AFib, an irregular heartbeat that feels like a quivering heart. People with AFib have a five times greater risk of stroke than those with normal heart rhythms. Approximately 20 percent of all strokes occur in patients with AFib, and AFib-related strokes are more frequently fatal and disabling.

For more information, please visit https://tcainstitute.com.