St. Joseph Health Regional Hospital is the first to implant a WATCHMAN device in the Brazos Valley.

WATCHMAN procedure with Dr. Thomas Meade | Inside Health Podcast

October 07, 2021 Posted in: Podcasts , Blogs

Host of the Inside Health Podcast Kevin Keys sits down with Dr. Thomas Meade, cardiologist and electrophysiologist at St. Joseph Health Regional Hospital, to answer questions about the WATCHMAN procedure. Dr. Meade and St. Joseph Health are the first to bring the WATCHMAN FLX™ device to the Brazos Valley and provide an alternative to blood thinners for those with non-valvular AFib

Dr. Meade answers these questions about AFib, stroke, and the WATCHMAN device and procedure in this episode:

What is atrial fibrillation? What is the difference between non-valvular and standard fibrillation?
Can people feel atrial fibrillation? What are the symptoms?
Why is atrial fibrillation a risk factor for stroke?
What is the reason for such a high correlation between AFib and stroke?
What are the common treatments for atrial fibrillation?
What is the WATCHMAN FLX™ device? How can it help with atrial fibrillation?
Which hospitals and doctors can perform the WATCHMAN procedure in the Brazos Valley?
How long does the WATCHMAN procedure take?
Is the WATCHMAN procedure in-patient or out-patient?
How does the device affect atrial fibrillation?
What does recovery look like once someone has the WATCHMAN procedure?
How many WATCHMAN devices have been implanted worldwide?
What patients are good candidates for the WATCHMAN device?

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