A revolutionary heart implant that reduces the risk of deadly strokes by up to 70 per cent has been launched in the UK.
The first tranche of patients have now been fitted with the Watchman FLX, since it gained European approval.
Surgeons across the country are being trained on how to implant it as the scheme is widened out.
The device, designed in Britain, consists of a self-expanding titanium structure which is inserted into a part of the left atrial.
The mesh-like mechanism – about the size of a 50p piece – acts like a sieve and traps any clots so they cannot escape into the body.
It offers a potentially life-saving option for a range of heart patients, particularly those who suffer a condition called atrial fibrillation – the most common cause of irregular heartbeat affecting approximately one million in the UK.
Many AF patients are prescribed blood-thinning medication to reduce the risk of blood clots. But these cause potentially deadly side effects including serious bleeding in the stomach and the brain.
Dr John Foran, of London’s Royal Brompton and Harefield Hospitals, said: “This device could potentially save thousands of patients from suffering strokes.
“Sooner or later, most patients on blood-thinning drugs will suffer a bleed as a result of the treatment. This implant provides cover for these people without the need for medications, reducing their risk of stroke and cardiovascular death.”
