Natale procedure #4 - The Watchman

Just home from another trip to Austin and my Watchman procedure. It was very easy, and so far successful! Of course I won't know until 45 days post procedure if there are any leaks, but for now, there are none.

It is a short procedure and not very impactful in terms of well-being. I felt fine right afterward, and I think I was under anesthesia less than an hour. Spent the night and went home the next day. Only problem was oozing from my catheter puncture, but it cleared up quickly. Now I am 4 days post procedure and am experiencing some intermittent afib and atach, which is normal for a couple of weeks. Dr. Natale and I are certainly well acquainted now!

After two ablations and a failed Lariat attempt, culminating with the Watchman procedure, maybe I am finished! Am taking Coumadin and BP meds, same as before. I'll keep you all posted re the outcome. For now, it's back to work next week and glad that I finally had a successful procedure. Although my second ablation was somewhat successful, there was an error made during the surgery that may affect my long term outcome. Nobody read the chart and informed Natale that I was taking Amiodarone right up to the surgical date, so he may not have been able to see all the activity that needed to be addressed in that ablation. He told me to continue taking the drug, so who knows why it happened, and I informed the intake nurse and the anesthesiologist. But Natale told me he didn't know, and was worried. So maybe there is a touch up in my future, time will tell. I'm hoping that the since the Watchman will eliminate all afib from the LAA, that all other sites have been addressed. (Since my last ablation, I have been having some episodes, which are usually very short and infrequent.)

I feel good and grateful, and am very fortunate to have been able to do all this under Natale's watch - he's an amazing genius, I think.

Cindy O

Hi Cindy!

Great news on the smooth Watchman procedure!! I'm very happy for you.
Sounds like a big success to me if there are no leaks at all right after installation it usually stays that way.

I am set for my confirmation TEE for my Lariat two weeks from today on Monday Sept 23 at CPMC in San Fran with learning the final verdict the next day in my meeting with Dr Natale.... And yes he is a genius in this field without question and so many of us are very fortunate to have hooked our stars to his.

Regarding the clerical error in reporting that you had been taking Amiodrrone right up to the day of your second procedure is surprising! I believe that was at the San Fran office right? That rarely happens as both Austin and San Fran are very well oiled machines these days, but when ever many human beings are involved in a process, even someone in an experienced team can drop the ball on occasion.

As Dr Natale indicated, being on Amio right up to the ablation day could have suppressed some of the weaker trigger points such that he may not have been able to zap them all during that procedure as he normally would have had you been off Amio for at least 3 months before the ablation. Amioderone has a Very long half life and that is why ablationist are reluctant to do ablations unless it is fully cleared out of the system. Still, you already had an LAA isolation ablation and so even if there is still one remaining trigger that pops up from time to time, as long as it self converts and is not too frequent or too much of a nuisance you could either try to keep it quiet with the nutrient protocols or a milder AAR drug for a while or let Dr Z go back in for a 'quicky' to nail it all down for good.

I do want you to understand that unlike the Lariat Procedure, the Watchman does not provide full electrical isolation of the LAA, so it will not, by itself, prevent an AFIB or Flutter originating from the LAA from happening. However, since you already had an LAA isolation the odds are high that this is a moot point anyway and its far more likely that if you should ever need a touch up that it would be from someplace else in the Left atrium such as the Coronary Sinus perhaps, and that Dr N could easily finish off with a relatively quick and straight forward second touch up and third ablation overall.

In any event, you may well be finished now as it is and Im sending out best wishes that this is so. But one thing is for sure after your 45day confirmation that you can stop Coumadin and you will never have to go on those blood thinners again to prevent an AFIB related stroke, no matter what else happens!

Take care Cindy and keep us posted!
Shannon



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 09/10/2013 01:48PM by Shannon.

Hi Shannon -

Yes, the Amiodarone thing was weird because I had just been put on it on March 18 during my long hospitalization at CPMC following my first ablation, which was February 13. My next ablation was April 23. So I couldn't have been off it for 3 months, and was told to take it until my next ablation. Natale tells me he is now using Amiodarone a little more than he was when he finally put me on it, since it was so effective for me.

Eventually my LAA will be a scar wrapped around the Watchman, so I hope the scar tissue won't be able to transmit any errant signals! But Dr. Natale did isolate it in my previous ablations, so I don't think that's a factor. We'll see if I need a third ablation. I'll get one if I need it!

Many thanks for your great information and continuing support!

Cindy O

Cindy,
Sounds like your Watchman was a breeze. Glad that it went so well for you. Think you and I were both hospitalized in Austin the same time in June but our paths did not cross. Continue to do well and keep us posted.
Betty