SMH #1 in World for "Watchman" Treatment

Innovative device prevents strokes – without medication - in at-risk heart patients

SARASOTA, Fla., Feb. 6, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Sarasota Memorial Hospital has earned the #1 spot among the world's WATCHMAN providers protecting people with atrial fibrillation.

This week, the Sarasota hospital's electrophysiology team was recognized for implanting the cardiac implant in more than 3,000 patients. SMH is the first of roughly 1,000 hospitals worldwide to surpass that medical milestone.

SMH celebrated another first on Wednesday, when electrophysiologist Robert Eckart, MD, completed his 1,500th case at SMH. According to Boston Scientific, maker of the WATCHMAN device, Dr. Eckart has implanted more WATCHMAN devices than any other physician for the past two years.

Approved by the FDA in 2015, the WATCHMAN device is an alternative to long-time use of blood thinners for A-fib patients. The device, implanted through a catheter during a minimally invasive cardiac catheterization, can reduce their risk of stroke – without blood thinning medications – by sealing off the left atrial appendage (LAA) in the heart. The LAA is a small pouch where blood clots often form in people with atrial fibrillation. When implanted, the device acts as a barrier, preventing clots from entering the bloodstream and causing strokes.

The WATCHMAN does not require open heart surgery and does not need to be replaced. The procedure is performed under general anesthesia and typically takes less than an hour. Most patients are able to go home the same day or next day without complications.

A-fib occurs when the beating in the upper chambers of the heart is irregular and blood doesn't flow as well as it should. It is the most common type of heart rhythm disorder, affecting about 10 million people, or 5% of the population, and is associated with an increased risk of stroke, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Treating A-fib is vital for the health of patients, and can significantly reduce hospitalizations and deaths, said Sarasota Memorial Health Care System Chief Medical Officer James Fiorica, MD. He credits the team for the hospital's excellent patient outcomes.

"The Watchman device is a life-changing alternative to blood thinning medications that is protecting more than half a million people worldwide," Dr. Fiorica said. "We are proud to have such a highly skilled, dedicated heart team bringing these advances to patients in our community."

The team of cardiac specialist performing WATCHMAN procedures at SMH include: Edmund Bermudez, MD; Robert Eckart, MD; Martin Ginic-Espinosa, MD; Likhitesh Jaikumar, MD; Fabio Lima, MD; Rajesh Malik, MD; Dilip Mathew, MD; Antonio Moretta, MD; Jeffrey Rossi, MD; and Ricardo Yaryura, MD.

For more information on Sarasota Memorial's heart team and the WATCHMAN device, please visit: www.smh.com/heart and www.watchman.com.

About Sarasota Memorial Health Care System (smh.com)

Sarasota Memorial Health Care System is a regional medical center offering Southwest Florida's greatest breadth and depth of care, with 2,500 physicians and advanced practice providers and nearly 2 million patient visits a year across its network of care. Sarasota County's largest employer, the community-owned health system includes two full-service hospitals in Sarasota and Venice, freestanding ERs in North Port and Lakewood Ranch, and comprehensive network of outpatient centers, urgent care clinics and physician practices. Founded in 1925, SMH is celebrating its 100-year anniversary in 2025 and encouraging community members to visit smh.com/100 throughout the year for centennial events and updates.

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SOURCE SARASOTA MEMORIAL HOSPITAL