Main Line Health first in Philadelphia region to offer WATCHMAN FLX implant for atrial fibrillation
Electrophysiologist Sheetal Chandhok, MD, assisted by William Gray, MD, performed the first WATCHMAN FLX implant at Bryn Mawr Hospital, part of Main Line Health’s Lankenau Heart Institute.
“Lankenau Heart Institute is committed to providing safe, compassionate, clinically advanced cardiac care to our patients. The opportunity to pilot innovative solutions like the WATCHMAN FLX is critical to helping us achieve this, and we are honored to have been the first in the Philadelphia region to implant this device,” said Dr. Gray, System Chief of Cardiovascular Disease at Main Line Health, who has been involved with research in this approach for almost 20 years.
Up to six million Americans are affected by atrial fibrillation (AF) – an irregular heartbeat that feels like a quivering heart. People with AF may be at greater risk for stroke than those with normal heart rhythms. Traditionally, blood thinners have been used as a method of treatment to reduce stroke risk in patients with AF. However, long-term blood thinner use can lead to increased bleeding risk, even as a result of small wounds.
The WATCHMAN FLX implant is an alternative to blood thinners. The implant works by 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 blood stream 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.
Dr. Chandhok at Bryn Mawr Hospital was the first in Pennsylvania to implant the WATCHMAN LAAC in 2015, an earlier version of the implant. WATCHMAN FLX, the newest version of the implant, has an updated design to help treat more patients safely and effectively to ensure the best long-term outcomes.
“Many patients with atrial fibrillation have concerns about the long-term risks of blood thinners, but also don’t want to forego this medication because they know it is a critical part of managing their stroke risk,” says Dr. Chandhok. “The WATCHMAN FLX implant is an alternative that offers our patients peace of mind and a better quality of life.”
Implanting the WATCHMAN Device is a one-time procedure that usually lasts about an hour. Following the procedure, patients typically need to stay in the hospital for 24 hours. The WATCHMAN Implant has been approved in Europe since 2005 and is FDA-approved in the United States. It has been implanted in more than 110,000 patients and is approved in more than 70 countries around the world.
About Main Line Health
Main Line Health® is a not-for-profit health system serving the greater Philadelphia region. The System comprises five hospitals, seven health centers, more than 160 outpatient and physician practice locations, over 14,500 employees and more than 2,200 employed and independent physicians and advanced practice providers.
Founded in 1985, Main Line Health includes four of the region’s most respected acute care hospitals — Lankenau Medical Center, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Paoli Hospital and Riddle Hospital — as well as Bryn Mawr Rehab Hospital, one of the nation’s premier facilities for rehabilitative medicine. The System also includes Mirmont Treatment Center, which provides treatment and support for substance use disorders; Main Line Health HomeCare & Hospice; Main Line HealthCare, its employed multispecialty physician network; Lankenau Institute for Medical Research, a leading biomedical research organization; and Main Line Health Centers offering primary and specialty care, lab, radiology and other outpatient services in Broomall, Collegeville, Concordville, Devon, Exton, King of Prussia and Newtown Square.
Main Line Health brings together physicians, advanced practice providers, nurses, researchers and other healthcare professionals across a broad network of inpatient, outpatient, home-based and community-based services. Through this integrated approach, the System delivers high-quality, comprehensive care across the continuum — from primary care and preventive services to complex specialty, surgical, trauma, emergency, rehabilitative, behavioral health, home care and hospice services — with a focus on making care accessible in the communities where people live and work.
Main Line Health also collaborates with leading clinical partners to expand access to specialized care. Through its affiliation with Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, pediatric care is provided at select Main Line Health locations, including neonatal intensive care units at its acute care hospitals and Bryn Mawr Hospital’s Inpatient Pediatric Unit and Emergency Department. Jefferson Health neurosurgeons and neurointerventionalists also provide 24/7 specialized care, including neurointervention and lifesaving stroke care.
About Lankenau Heart Institute
Lankenau Heart Institute is Main Line Health’s premier comprehensive cardiovascular program, bringing together cardiologists, cardiovascular surgeons and advanced practice providers across the System’s four acute care hospitals: Lankenau Medical Center, Bryn Mawr Hospital, Paoli Hospital and Riddle Hospital. Through a coordinated approach, the Institute offers a full continuum of high-quality cardiovascular care — from prevention and diagnostics to clinical trials, advanced treatments and rehabilitation — with a commitment to excellence in outcomes and patient experience.
A nationally recognized leader in innovation and exceptional clinical outcomes, Lankenau Heart Institute is at the forefront of minimally invasive and transcatheter procedures for coronary revascularization, valve repair and replacement, complex aortic surgery and the treatment of advanced heart failure and arrhythmias. Its pioneering work in robotic-assisted and beating-heart techniques and minimally invasive and robotic valve repair continues to shape the future of cardiovascular care. With a robust and influential presence in national clinical trials, its physicians regularly participate in groundbreaking research focused on new therapies, technologies and procedures, primarily through less invasive approaches.
Contact
Phil Ellingsworth, Jr.Director, Communications
Office: 484.580.1182
EllingsworthPh@mlhs.org