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UT Health Tyler Performs Its First Watchman FLX Procedure

Tyler, Texas (May 19, 2021) UT Health Tyler now offers patients with non-valvular atrial fibrillation (AFib) an alternative to long-term blood thinners with the next-generation Watchman FLX™ Left Atrial Appendage Closure (LAAC) Implant.

Dr. Raul Torres, MD, electrophysiologist at UT Health Tyler, implanted the first Watchman FLX device — the only FDA-approved implant proven to reduce stroke risk to people with AFib not caused by a heart valve problem.

“Left atrial appendage closure via interventional offers an alternative to patients not suitable to use blood thinners when indicated to treat atrial fibrillation,” Dr. Torres said. “Watchman FLX™ extends the range of patients that can benefit from this approach and improves the safety of this procedure.”

The Watchman technology, which has been implanted in more than 100,000 patients worldwide, closes off an area of the heart called the left atrial appendage (LAA) to keep harmful blood clots that can form in the LAA from entering the blood stream and potentially causing a stroke. By closing off the LAA, the risk of stroke may be reduced and, over time, patients may be able to stop taking blood thinners. The newest version of the implant has an updated design to help treat more patients safely and effectively to ensure the best long-term outcomes.

“UT Health East Texas continues to provide a top-rated, robust cardiovascular program,” said Donna Bowers, director of cardiovascular services. “We recently introduced the Watchman FLX procedure to our portfolio of clinical services. UT Health East Texas is one of the first in Texas to offer this technology to the communities and patients served.”