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MVHS says it has performed 100 Watchman heart procedures

Led by Dr. Michael Sassower, of CNY Cardiology, the team at St. Elizabeth Medical Center performed the 100th Watchman procedure on May 19. Watchman is a one-time procedure that reduces the risk of strokes that originate in the left atrial appendage.

UTICA, N.Y. — Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS), in partnership with Central New York Cardiology, recently performed the 100th Watchman procedure at its St. Elizabeth Campus. Watchman is a one-time procedure that reduces the risk of strokes that originate in the left atrial appendage (LAA), according to MVHS. The 100th procedure was performed by Michael […]

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UTICA, N.Y. — Mohawk Valley Health System (MVHS), in partnership with Central New York Cardiology, recently performed the 100th Watchman procedure at its St. Elizabeth Campus.

Watchman is a one-time procedure that reduces the risk of strokes that originate in the left atrial appendage (LAA), according to MVHS. The 100th procedure was performed by Michael Sassower of CNY Cardiology, which has offices in Utica, Rome, Oneida, Herkimer, and Lowville.

MVHS has been offering the Watchman procedure since February 2019.

The Watchman is a device that is inserted into the LAA of the heart through a small incision in the groin. The implant procedure does not require open-heart surgery and is typically performed under general anesthesia or conscious sedation. To date, the device has been implanted in more than 50,000 patients by doctors around the world. Boston Scientific Corp. makes the Watchman device.

MVHS contends that Watchman has emerged as a “life-changing alternative for people who live with a daily risk of stroke and who want an alternative to drug treatment therapy.”

“I am proud of the program and the partnership we have developed here at MVHS,” Dr. Sassower said in a release. “The Watchman device is an important part of stroke management for patients with atrial fibrillation, especially patients who should be on oral anticoagulation but cannot take it for various reasons.”

In addition to reducing the risk of stroke, the device removes the risk of bleeding that can come with the long-term use of blood thinners like Warfarin (also known as Coumadin).

According to Dr. Sassower, once the device is implanted it forms a seal, permanently closing off the LAA and reducing the risk of stroke in patients with an irregular heartbeat (atrial fibrillation) who are not suitable for blood thinners.

The procedure usually lasts up to an hour using minimally invasive techniques. Most patients are discharged the next day and can expect a fast and generally painless recovery.

Jornal Staff