PeaceHealth Celebrates 2,000th WATCHMAN Procedure, Marking Milestone In Cardiac Care

PeaceHealth Celebrates 2,000th WATCHMAN procedure, marking milestone in cardiac care

VANCOUVER, Wash. - PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center has reached a major clinical milestone with the successful implantation of its 2,000th WATCHMAN cardiac device, reinforcing the program's position as the largest WATCHMAN implanting center in the Pacific Northwest.

PeaceHealth Southwest in 2015 was the first hospital in the Pacific Northwest to implant the WATCHMAN device, underscoring more than a decade of clinical leadership.

Officially named the WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion (LAAO) device, the apparatus is about the size of a quarter. It reduces the risk of stroke in patients who have atrial fibrillation, or AFib, by sealing off an area of the heart where blood can collect and is a common source of blood clots. When a clot travels to another part of the body, it can cut off the blood supply to the brain, causing a stroke.

The WATCHMAN device offers a safe, effective alternative to blood thinners. The implant procedure is minimally invasive, making the entire process from start to discharge relatively short. The one-time procedure also has less impact on patients' lifestyles than using blood thinners.

"Reaching 2,000 WATCHMAN implants is a testament to the expertise of our physicians, the dedication of our lab teams, and our long-standing commitment to providing advanced stroke-prevention options for patients," said PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center Chief Hospital Executive Cherelle Montanye. "This milestone reflects years of teamwork, innovation, and patient-centered care of our entire PeaceHealth cardiovascular team, including our valued partnership with The Vancouver Clinic cardiology clinicians."

Since its inception, PeaceHealth Southwest's WATCHMAN LAAO program has grown steadily, supported by a highly skilled implanting team and robust lab infrastructure. Today, it stands as the largest WATCHMAN implanting program in the Pacific Northwest, offering minimally invasive alternatives to long-term anticoagulation therapy for eligible patients.

"Behind every one of those 2,000 implants is a patient who came to us with two serious concerns: the threat of stroke and the difficulty of managing long-term blood thinners," said Dr. Nashwa Abdulsalam, a board-certified cardiologist and electrophysiologist at PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center that specializes in treating complex cardiac arrhythmias. "Finding a real solution for both is what this program has always been about. We've had the privilege of doing this work longer than any other center in the region, and the skill our team has developed over that time is something I'm deeply proud of."

Dr. Vishesh Kumar, a structural cardiologist at The Vancouver Clinic, said the device offers another option for elderly patients who take blood thinners for atrial fibrillation. This reduces their risk of bleeding related to falls and injuries.

"Using blood thinners for atrial fibrillation presents a challenging clinical scenario for the physicians as well as for the patients," Kumar said. "With the WATCHMAN procedure, we can safely take patients off the blood thinners while reducing the risk of stroke. We are fortunate that PeaceHealth Southwest Medical Center is one of the leading centers in the country to offer left atrial appendage occlusion procedures."

About PeaceHealth: PeaceHealth, based in Vancouver, Wash., is a non-profit Catholic health system offering care to communities in Washington, Oregon and Alaska. PeaceHealth has approximately 16,000 caregivers, nearly 3,200 physicians and clinicians, more than 160 clinics and 9 medical centers serving both urban and rural communities throughout the Northwest. In 1890, the Sisters of St. Joseph of Peace founded what has become PeaceHealth. The Sisters shared expertise and transferred wisdom from one medical center to another, always finding the best way to serve the unmet need for healthcare in their communities. Today, PeaceHealth is the legacy of the founding Sisters and continues with a spirit of respect, stewardship, collaboration and social justice in fulfilling its Mission. Visit us online at peacehealth.org.

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