Show Me the Ozarks August 2022

Health SMTO

having a stroke, caused by complications of my A Fib, by up to 80% by having the WATCHMAN device implanted into my heart via a simple procedure, I thought it was a wonderful idea. The fact that I could also eventually get off my blood thinners, that I had been on since my heart attack, was also another added benefit.” The WATCHMAN Implant fits into your LAA. It is designed to permanently close it off and keep blood clots from escaping. The WATCHMAN Implant is made from very light material commonly used in many other medical implants, and the size varies based on the size of the LAA. The heart’s tissue grows over the implant and permanently closes off the small appendage. Mrs. Quin’s recovery after the WATCHMAN was a few hours of bedrest at the hospital and few days of light duty to allow the area in her groin to heal.

“I Have Been Given a Gift!” Velma Quin’s response to getting the WATCHMAN Implantable Device for Atrial Fib By Holly Hukill V elma Quin was the 100th patient to receive the Watchman Implantable Device at Mercy Hospital Joplin June 1, 2022; a little over 2 years since doctors first started doing the procedure in Joplin. She did not know she was the 100th patient until a week later when she went back in the office to see her cardiologist for a follow-up visit. The news came as quite a pleasant surprise for Mrs. Quin, and when she heard the hospital wanted to hold a reception for her and her cardiologist, Dr. Byungsoo Ko, she was more than happy to attend. Mrs. Quin’s journey started several years before when she experienced a heart attack that was complicated by an abnormal heart rhythm known as Atrial Fibrillation, or A Fib. Because of that, she has been on several cardiac medications and a blood thinner. Bob and Velma Quin and Holly and Duane Hukill at the Mercy Hospital Celebration for the 100 th WATCHMAN DEVICE to be implanted at Mercy Joplin.

Image courtesy WATCHMAN.COM WATCHMAN DEVICE

“The procedure was performed as an outpatient under general anesthesia. The doctor put a small catheter in my groin and the WATCHMAN device was then inserted in my heart through the catheter and then the catheter was removed, leaving just a small puncture site that had to be watched for several hours for any sign of bleeding. The staff at Mercy could not have been nicer. They were all so professional and helpful. They made it easy for me.” Would she recommend this procedure to others? “Yes,” said Mrs. Quin. “I would highly recommend the WATCHMAN to others. It decreases your chance of stroke, and you can get off blood thinners. The blood thinners put me at a higher risk of bleeding if I fell or had an accident, and the bruising has been an issue; so, getting off the blood thinners is going to be nice.” Mrs. Quin repeated the same thing when interviewed by the press the day of the celebration at Mercy Hospital: “I was given a gift when I received the WATCHMAN device. And I got a party, too! I am incredibly lucky to have received the WATCHMAN device and for the wonderful doctors like Dr. Ko and Dr. Caine and their nurses, especially Natalie. She helped coordinate everything and made me feel very comfortable and answered all my questions. The WATCHMAN device has truly been a gift.” Over 200,000 people over 20 years have received the WATCHMAN device. To find out more about the WATCHMAN device, visit their website at www.watchman.com/en.us/home.html. If you think it would be a good fit for you, discuss it with your doctor to see if you qualify, as some patients with heart valve problems and other medical issues may not be candidates for the device. Writer’s note : I am grateful my editor, Lee Radcliff, allowed me to write this article because Velma Quin is my mother. As a retired cardiovascular RN, I felt I could add some medical information to the article, while also providing an insight from Mom’s point of view. Having watched her over the years deal with her heart attack and A Fib and other medical issues, the blood thinners have been one of the hardest things to deal with. Each time she would need a surgery or procedure, they would have to hold her blood thinners. That caused concern that she could have a blood clot and a stroke. And my mom is much too busy to have that happen! I am happy she was able to have a procedure that lowers her risk of stroke and allows her to quit taking blood thinners. Our family is incredibly grateful for the skilled doctors and nurses at Mercy Hospital Joplin.

A Fib affects your heart’s ability to pump blood normally. This can cause blood to pool in an area of the heart called the left atrial appendage, or LAA. Blood cells can stick together and form a blood clot, and if it escapes from the LAA, it can travel to another part of the body and cause a stroke. People with A Fib, which is not caused by a heart valve problem, can suffer a stroke, and more than 90% of stroke-causing clots that come from the heart are formed in the LAA.

Image courtesy WATCHMAN.COM Drawing of human heart showing left atrial appendage with WATCHMAN DEVICE inserted.

Mrs. Quin is very familiar with the effects of a stroke. “My uncle had a stroke and never recovered his ability to speak, and I did not want that to happen to me. When my doctor told me I could reduce my chances of

86