Banner North Colorado Medical Heart accomplished its 250th Watchman process, a minimally invasive stroke prevention surgical procedure. (Courtesy/Well being Banner)
Banner North Colorado Medical Heart has accomplished its 250th minimally invasive stroke prevention process.
David Bicknell, a Banner Well being heart specialist and electrophysiologist, accomplished the 250th process the hospital has carried out on Feb. 5 for the reason that program started in 2016, in keeping with a Banner Well being information launch. In 2016, earlier fashions and gadgets made surgical procedure difficult, Bicknell mentioned, whereas going through reimbursement and approval challenges.
In 2021, the introduction of the brand new gadget, the Watchman FLX, and the benefit of reimbursement have made the group's objective charge vital over the previous 24 months, in keeping with Bicknell.
“It has been a group effort; The cath lab group, the acute restoration unit, anesthesiology, common imaging cardiology, our structural coronary heart group and Dr. Shane Rowan, who helped begin this system, ought to be very proud,” Bicknell mentioned.
WATCHMAN, a everlasting implant the scale of 1 / 4, provides a substitute for blood thinners, in keeping with the discharge. The implant closes the left atrial appendage within the coronary heart and retains clots contained in that space to cut back the danger of stroke.
The minimally invasive process entails inserting a catheter by way of a blood vessel within the affected person's groin after which maneuvering it to the left atrial appendage the place the gadget is implanted.
“It is a protected same-day discharge for many sufferers, and now we have a 95% placement success charge, which is the nationwide common,” Bicknell mentioned.
The Banner group encourages sufferers who’ve questions on atrial fibrillation or stroke danger discount to schedule an appointment with their main care supplier.