This Heart Implant Could Reduce Stroke Risk And May Save Your Life

After getting approval from the European Union, implants called Watchman FLX have been fitted to the hearts of the first group of patients. Designed and developed in Britain, the heart implant is made of a nickel-titanium device, which is then implanted into the left atrial. This section, which is actually a sac in the heart’s muscle wall, is the part where around 90% of stroke-causing blood clots form.

The device, which is approximately the size of a 50p and has a mesh-like structure that functions as a sieve, is designed to trap clots. It is injected through the vein and then expanded when it arrives at the heart. The entire process is reported to take at least an hour.

Several studies conducted by Mayo Clinic in the US concluded that Watchman FLX could lower stroke risk in about 70% of patients. The device is a potential lifesaving route for a broad array of patients, especially those who are suffering from atrial fibrillation, which is a common cause of irregular heartbeat.

According to health organizations, atrial fibrillation or AF affects approximately one million individuals in the UK. AF causes blood to collect in the heart, which then leads to the formation of clots. If these clots go through the circulatory system, they can travel to the brain, obstructing blood flow, and ultimately causing a stroke.

A lot of AF patients presently receive a prescription for blood-thinning medications, but such remedies may cause deadly side effects, which include severe bleeding in the stomach. Blood thinners also increase the threat of bleeding in the brain, also another cause of stroke.

Dr. John Foran, a Royal Brompton & Harefield hospital heart specialist, revealed that the device could save thousands of people from strokes. For those who are not able to receive blood-thinning drugs, this implant can perform the job without the need for medication.

One of the patients in the country to receive the Watchman FLX implant is 60-year-old Devinder Singh. In 2012, he was diagnosed with AF after complaining of experiencing chest pains.

A Birmingham solicitor and father of three, Devinder already suffered brain hemorrhage in April of 2015. Doctors believe it may have been linked to the blood-thinning medications that Devinder has been taking.

In February, Devinder suffered a stroke, and it was when doctors implanted the innovative device. Since then, he has fully recovered from brain hemorrhage and stroke, adding that he is lucky to have the device implanted in his heart.