Boston Scientific called me : Watchman ID Card

I received a phone call from Minneapolis MN this am. Boston Scientific re my Watchman. I provided details for Dr Natale s work. Size 31 etc. she wanted to know if i had my card. No. So theyre mailing it. She did say antibiotics for dental work in the next 6 months and that the card has MRI instructions should i need an MRI. We discussed my TEE 3/31 and that Dr Natale told me the Flex has a less than 10% device leak risk compared to 25-30% for original Watchman. So…..blood work. Covid test and TEE in March and if goes well ill be inching towards the checkered flags

I'm surprised your Watchman FLX card wasn't in your discharge papers, the envelope from St. David's, not TCA. I didn't go over everything in the hospital, waited 'til I got home. The Vascade info and Watchman card were both in the hospital package.

Hi all,
I am new to the site. .On 9 29/21, while in pre -op for back surgery i went into aflutter. This only happened to me once before in my life, about 6 months before and i didn't know what it was. i was told by the pre op nurse what it was. i was put on Cardezam, flecinide and Eliquis. i had my first ablation 11/29/21, and was taken off flecinade, but keep on the other two meds- it didn't stop the flutter, in fact at first got worse. however now its not as frequent .Now my Dr. wants to do a touch up Ablation. i am also getting a CT to see if i am a good candidate for the watchman. If i can get the watchman, should i still get the touch up Ablation as well.
Any advise would help-Thanks

Tom, the watchman card they will send you will be blank. You need to fill in your name, the model number, lot number and SKU number, date of implant etc. They do send you a very nice (actually 2) plastic card pocket inserts with big letters “Watchman”. The lady I spoke to didn’t have my model SKU, lot or size (I know it’s 24mm because I got a bar code watchman card at discharge). I had called them to ask some questions. I was told I can laminate the paper card and she sent me 2 blank watchman cards with pocket inserts. At watchman, she said she only have my name and date of implant and no other info. I suppose I’m A-type and am glad I got my bar code card at discharge.

I didn’t know about antibiotics during dental work. I do know that antibiotics were required also during a cleaning. For years having mitral valve prolapse, I had to take a gram of keflix before a cleaning and 500mg afterwards. Then the dental assoc I changed their protocol and no pre antibiotics were needed. Thanks for the dental info. I wonder if an endoscopy and colonoscopy also requires antibiotics?

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susan.d
I wonder if an endoscopy and colonoscopy also requires antibiotics?

Not likely. Dental work requires them because dental work can release a lot of bacteria into the bloodstream and lymphatic system, which drains directly into the lymph nodes in your chest. The danger is the bacteria could colonize exposed devices like a new Watchman or artificial valves. Once the Watchman is fully endothelialized that danger will be gone and you won't need antibiotics. Most other procedures don't leave anything behind to be colonized, so no risk.



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 02/23/2022 08:53PM by Carey.

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cotton555
. i had my first ablation 11/29/21, and was taken off flecinade, but keep on the other two meds- it didn't stop the flutter, in fact at first got worse. however now its not as frequent .Now my Dr. wants to do a touch up Ablation. i am also getting a CT to see if i am a good candidate for the watchman. If i can get the watchman, should i still get the touch up Ablation as well.

After a period of time for the Watchman to fully be endothelialized, you should be able to come off the Eliquis. The calcium channel blocker, diltiazem (Cardizem) is a ventricular rate control rate control med. If your resting ventricular heart rate in flutter without the med is > 100 BPM, you will still need it. Also, it depends on how often you have episodes and how long they last.

It is up to you to decide if you want to get rid of the flutter with another ablation. If you do choose that route, you may want to open a discussion here about what EP to use for the ablation.

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Poppino
She did say antibiotics for dental work in the next 6 months

Thanks Tom for sharing. I didn’t know and need some dental work.

[www.karger.com]
Confirming antibiotics during the first 6 months if having work done on their gingiva (gums).

Yes watchman told me ill get a plastic sleeve as its folds out so laminating not a good idea. Yes Carey correct on bacteria threat in first 6 months. So antibiotics for dental
Im 8 days now. Been on 3, one hr walks. Gonna ease back to gym soon. Think theyre
Lifting mask mandate here. Hope that nat infection and vax gives all of us some Herd! We re all sick of it

Six months ago i had dental cleaning plus a little work done on a chipped tooth, I didn't get any antibiotics for the work. In a week I am to get dental cleaning again (every 6 months) and nothing is said about an antibiotic, I am in permanent AF. After the previous cleaning i had no problems.

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cotton555
...if i can get the watchman, should i still get the touch up Ablation as well...

This is a FWIW comment. I went out of NSR some time last fall; didn't initially know because my primary symptom, SOB, did not appear at all. I was told in 2017 I was a candidate for a Watchman if my second ablation didn't hold. Last week Dr. Natale did a touch up ablation, only 13:41 min of rf lesion energy administered, and Watchman FLX implanted. When I originally told my local cardiologist I was having an ablation and Watchman implant in the same procedure he said Medicare would not let the EPs in his practice do both without a waiting period between ablation and Watchman implant. I believe it's a function of the number of dual event procedures TCA does -- lots of 'em.

Hi Jay,

Its great to hear the Watchman FLX all went well as expected! And yes, the more experienced Watchman operators can and do offer a minor touch-up ABL plus the Watchman implant in one shot for a handy two for one procedure.

Best Wishes,
Shannon