WATCHMAN Device

Atrial fibrillation (A-Fib) can cause blood to pool and clot in a small pouch in your heart called the left atrial appendage (LAA). A blood clot that enters your bloodstream can cause a life-threatening stroke. We offer the WATCHMAN™ device as an alternative to blood thinners to lower this stroke risk.

Heart rhythm specialists (electrophysiologists) with The Heart Group of Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health were among the first in the region to offer this device as an alternative to blood-thinning medications. We expertly place a high number of these devices each year in the Lancaster region’s only dedicated Electrophysiology (EP) Clinic.

What Is the WATCHMAN Device?

The WATCHMAN is a device that permanently seals off the LAA. This treatment is also known as LAA occlusion or closure.

Our doctors place the WATCHMAN™ using catheters (thin, flexible tubes) threaded through a blood vessel. We don’t open your chest. Heart tissue gradually grows over the device, creating a barrier.

Who Might Need the WATCHMAN Device

You may choose to get the WATCHMAN device if you have A-Fib and you can’t or don’t want to take blood-thinning medications for life. Blood thinners stop clots from forming, but they increase your risk for excessive bleeding if you have an injury like a fall.

Because the WATCHMAN stops clots from forming, you don’t have to take lifelong blood thinners. However, this device only works if you have A-Fib that isn’t brought on by heart valve disease.

The WATCHMAN Device: The Penn Medicine Lancaster General Health Advantage

Heart rhythm doctors at our EP Clinic offer comprehensive treatments for people experiencing A-Fib and other arrhythmias.

You benefit from:

• Specialized heart rhythm program: You undergo advanced EP studies in our state-of-the-art EP Clinic. These tests help our doctors pinpoint the location and cause of the arrhythmia, as well as determine whether the WATCHMAN device is right for you.
• Complete suite of arrhythmia treatments: The WATCHMAN device lowers your stroke risk, but it doesn’t treat A-Fib. We offer the latest arrhythmia treatments like heart ablations. You also have access to the most advanced heart rhythm devices, including pacemakers, leadless pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs).
• Opportunities to try new therapies: Our doctors are actively involved in heart and vascular clinical trials and research to improve treatments for A-Fib and other heart conditions. A clinical trial may give you a chance to try promising new therapies still in development.

What to Expect After You Get the WATCHMAN Device

You’ll continue taking blood thinners for up to several months after the procedure. This process allows time for tissue to grow over the device and form a barrier against blood clots. Once the LAA completely closes, most people only need to take a baby aspirin.

Contact Us

To learn more about our EP Clinic and the WATCHMAN device, call 717-544-8300.