November 20 2020 – Broward Health Medical Center is the first hospital in Broward County to offer patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), an alternative to long-term blood thinners with the next-generation WATCHMAN FLXTM Left Atrial Appendage Closure (LAAC) implant. The WATCHMAN FLX, which was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, may reduce the risk of stroke in patients with NVAF who need an alternative to oral anticoagulation therapy.
“Broward Health Medical Center continues to provide innovation through advanced technologies to our community with the WATCHMAN FLX,” said Heather Havericak, CEO of Broward Health Medical Center. “The WATCHMAN FLX is designed to improve the outcomes for patients, including potentially reducing complication risks and accelerating patient recovery.”
Built on the WATCHMAN technology, the WATCHMAN FLX device was designed to advance procedural performance and safety while expanding the treatable patient population. Implanting the LAAC device is a one-time, minimally invasive procedure that usually lasts about an hour. Following the procedure, patients typically need to stay in the hospital for 24 hours or less. It has been implanted in more than 100,000 patients worldwide.
“Broward Health is the only center in Broward County to offer the second-generation WATCHMAN device called WATCHMAN FLX, which we have had a clinical study for the last year,” said Ahmed Osman, M.D., medical director of the Cardiac Electrophysiology Lab at Broward Health Medical Center. “It has performed extremely well with an almost 99% success rate and given its update design adapts to all anatomies that could be encountered in this vary variable anatomical structure.”
The WATCHMAN FLX features a new, fully rounded design that offers physicians the ability to safely enter and maneuver within the left atrial appendage. It is the first LAAC device that can be fully recaptured, repositioned and redeployed for precise placement, and the new frame design allows for optimal device engagement with the tissue for long-term stability and a faster, more complete seal. The WATCHMAN FLX device is available in broader size options than the previous generation device and can treat a wider range of patient anatomies.
About Broward Health
Broward Health, providing service for more than 80 years, is a nationally recognized system in South Florida that offers world-class healthcare to all. The Broward Health system includes the statutory teaching hospital Broward Health Medical Center, Broward Health North, Broward Health Imperial Point, Broward Health Coral Springs, Salah Foundation Children’s Hospital, Broward Health Weston, Broward Health Community Health Services, Broward Health Physician Group, Broward Health Urgent Care, Broward Health International, and Broward Health Foundation. For more information, visit BrowardHealth.org.
