Patients with irregular heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation, or AFib, have an increased risk of blood clots, which can lead to a stroke. A new device aims to help reduce that risk.

Implanted into the heart in a one-time procedure, the Watchman™ Device is designed to close off an area of the heart known as the left atrial appendage, where blood tends pool and cause clots in patients living with AFib. According to SIU Medicine structural heart experts Abdul Moiz Hafiz, MD, and Giselle Baquero, MD, most patients can stop taking warfarin, or similar blood thinning medications, within 45 days of the procedure.

Learn more about the Watchman Implant in this 60-second video, and ask your health care provider if the Watchman Implant is right for you. To speak with a health care provider at SIU Medicine or request an appointment, call 217-545-8000.