Community Hospital celebrates milestone in AFib treatment

NORTHWEST INDIANA | Building on its reputation for cardiovascular care excellence, Powers Health marked a milestone achievement in treating patients diagnosed with atrial fibrillation.
 
On Aug. 16, a team in the Cardiac Catheterization Lab at Community Hospital in Munster successfully completed the hospital’s 500th WATCHMAN implant.
 
People who have been diagnosed with non-valvular atrial fibrillation – or AFib – are at higher risk for stroke. AFib patients typically are prescribed blood thinners to reduce that risk. WATCHMAN is an alternative to blood thinners to reduce the risk of stroke while reducing the risks associated with taking blood thinners.
 
“Our cardiovascular team was the first in Northwest Indiana to offer WATCHMAN,” said Samer Abbas, MD, co-medical director of Cardiovascular Services at Powers Health. “Completing the 500th procedure at Community Hospital is a testament to the cardiovascular expertise we provide at Powers Health, which translates into top care for our patients.”
 
Patients may undergo the procedure at Community Hospital or at St. Mary Medical Center in Hobart, which has completed 325 WATCHMAN implants.
 
Those who are good candidates for WATCHMAN and opt for the implant often are discharged within 24 hours of their procedure. In a minimally invasive approach that does not require open-heart surgery, WATCHMAN is placed in a patient’s left atrial appendage through a small tube via an incision near the groin. In AFib patients, blood clots—which elevate the risk for stroke—tend to form in the left atrial appendage. The WATCHMAN implant works by sealing that part of the heart.
 
“We celebrate our team’s accomplishment in reaching 500 WATCHMAN procedures at Community Hospital,” said Donald P. Fesko, president and CEO of Powers Health. “Cardiac care is transformative for patients. By offering this procedure at Community Hospital and at St. Mary Medical Center, Powers Health meets patients’ needs for life-changing care close to home, through the expertise of a nationally recognized cardiovascular program.”
 
For information about cardiovascular care at Powers Health, visit PowersHealth.org/heart.
 
Photo cutline: Members of Powers Health Cardiovascular Services celebrate the 500th WATCHMAN implantation procedure on Aug. 16 at Community Hospital in Munster.