One Tiny Device Improving the Lives of 300 So Far

Date: 08/18/2023

Bangor, Maine (August 18, 2023) - Northern Light Eastern Maine Medical Center has reached another exciting milestone in improving patients’ lives. On August 17 the Cardiology team celebrated 300 WATCHMAN procedures, a permanent heart implant that effectively reduces the risk of stroke and bleeding that can come with long-term use of blood thinners.
 
The WATCHMAN device is a small, parachute-shaped device inserted into the patient’s leg, guided into the left ventricle of the heart, and placed in a small chamber that is susceptible to blood collection and possible clots that could lead to a stroke. Once the device is in place, it expands to close that chamber and prevent blood flow. It eventually becomes a permanent part of the body as the tissue heals around the device. As amazing as the process is, the beauty of the procedure lies in its ability to free patients from the constraints of blood thinners, giving them a better quality of life.
 
Congratulations to the Structural Heart team. Here’s to 300 more!