What is Watchman?

PeaceHealth takes pride in introducing minimally-invasive heart technologies and surgical techniques into our communities, including this advanced procedure that helps patients take their lives back from atrial fibrillation.

Watchman helps prevent blood clots caused by atrial fibrillation. This ground-breaking procedure may allow patients to say “goodbye” to a lifetime of blood thinners and get back to normal life quickly.

How does the Watchman procedure work?

A small incision is made in the upper leg and the Watchman device is inserted via a tube. The device is about the size of a quarter and shaped like a parachute. Your surgeon guides the Watchman device up and into your heart’s left atrial appendage. The device blocks off the appendage to prevent blood clotting.

The procedure typically takes less than an hour. Patients often stay overnight in our hospital for observation and leave the next day. Full recovery time also varies, but patients are usually back to normal life within a week.

Is Watchman right for me?

Your first step should be scheduling a visit to your primary care physician or cardiologist. Your care team will develop a personalized care plan to determine if Watchman is right for you.

What is aortic stenosis?

Aortic stenosis (also called aortic valve stenosis) occurs when the aortic valve doesn’t open fully, which prevents proper blood flow from your heart to the aorta and the rest of your body. When aortic stenosis occurs, the heart must work harder to pump blood, which may weaken your heart muscle. Aortic stenosis can eventually lead to serious heart problems like heart failure, stroke, heart arrhythmias, and death if left untreated.

Treatments

The treatment plan for aortic stenosis depends on the severity of your condition and personal health characteristics. Treatments may include one or a combination of the following:

• Lifestyle modifications to achieve healthier habits
• Regular checkups and monitoring
• Medication management, including ACE inhibitors, Beta-blockers, diuretics and heart rhythm medicines
• Minimally invasive TAVR (transcatheter aortic valve replacement) procedure
• Open heart aortic valve replacement surgery

Choosing PeaceHealth for your aortic stenosis care

PeaceHealth cardiologists average 34 years of experience treating aortic stenosis and treat an average of 2900 aortic stenosis patients every year. We have the experience to help you manage your condition and lead a full healthy life, so you never have to miss a beat.

Quality care close to home

You don’t have to wait to get the care you need. With more than 50 heart specialists across Alaska, Washington and Oregon, you can conveniently and promptly get an appointment close to home.

Trusted expertise

PeaceHealth is consistently recognized for providing safe, effective, and high-quality cardiac care. Recent recognition has come from the American Heart Association, the American Stroke Association, the Foundation for Health Care Quality, and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

Innovative treatments

We take pride in introducing minimally invasive heart technologies and surgical techniques into our communities. Today's advanced heart procedures are designed to help you recover quickly and so that you can return to your normal life.

Personalized care plans

We understand every patient has a different story. Our cardiac specialists will partner with you and your primary care physician to evaluate your condition and ensure you get connected with a treatment pathway that best fits your needs.

What is TAVR?

PeaceHealth takes pride in introducing minimally-invasive heart technologies and surgical techniques into our communities, including this advanced procedure that helps patients take their lives back from aortic stenosis.

Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) is a procedure that places a new aortic valve inside the diseased valve. TAVR can reduce aortic stenosis symptoms, improve heart function, and allow patients to avoid open heart surgery and get back to doing what they love quickly and more easily.

How does the TAVR procedure work?

The TAVR procedure can be performed using multiple different starting points on the body. Two common examples follow:

• A small incision is made in the upper leg. Then, your surgeon guides the new valve up to your heart, into your artery, and to the diseased valve.
• A small incision is made in the chest. Then, your surgeon guides the new valve through a large artery or the left ventricle and to the diseased valve.

Both approaches are minimally invasive. The procedure typically takes 1-2 hours, and patients are typically sent home from the hospital within 3-5 days. 

Is TAVR right for me?

Your first step should be scheduling a visit to your primary care physician or cardiologist. Your care team will develop a personalized care plan to determine if TAVR is right for you, and if not, explore a range of treatments from lifestyle changes and medication management to open-heart surgery.

What is mitral regurgitation?

Mitral regurgitation (also called mitral valve regurgitation) occurs when the mitral valve does not close properly. This causes a “regurgitation,” where blood leaks back into the mitral valve whenever the left ventricle contracts. Proper treatment of the condition is very important, because the condition can lead to problems like heart failure or heart arrhythmias if left untreated.

Treatments

The treatment plan for mitral regurgitation depends on the severity of your condition and personal health characteristics. Treatments may include one or a combination of the following:

• Lifestyle modifications to achieve healthier habits
• Regular checkups and monitoring
• Medication management, including Beta-blockers, diuretics, blood thinners and blood pressure medicines
• Mininally invasive MitraClip procedure 
• Open heart mitral valve repair or replacement surgery

Choosing PeaceHealth for your mitral regurgitation care

PeaceHealth cardiologists average 34 years of experience treating mitral regurgitation and treat an average of 1,400 mitral regurgitation patients every year. We have the experience to help you manage your condition and lead a full healthy life, so you never have to miss a beat.

Quality care close to home

You don’t have to wait to get the care you need. With more than 50 heart specialists across Alaska, Washington and Oregon, you can conveniently and promptly get an appointment close to home.

Trusted expertise

PeaceHealth is consistently recognized for providing safe, effective, and high-quality cardiac care. Recent recognition has come from the American Heart Association, the American Stroke Association, the Foundation for Health Care Quality, and the Society of Thoracic Surgeons.

Innovative treatments

We take pride in introducing minimally invasive heart technologies and surgical techniques into our communities. Today's advanced heart procedures are designed to help you recover quickly and so that you can return to your normal life.

Personalized care plans

We understand every patient has a different story. Our cardiac specialists will partner with you and your primary care physician to evaluate your condition and ensure you get connected with a treatment pathway that best fits your needs.

Make an appointment
 

Northwest Washington

360-230-7382

Meet our team

Anacortes

Bellingham

Sedro-Woolley

Southwest Washington

360-230-7683

Meet our team

Salmon Creek

Vancouver

Longview

Oregon

541-256-2575

Meet our team

Roseburg

Florence

Eugene/Springfield

Nearly 1 in 2 adults in the United States have some form of heart disease.  Do you know your risk?

Heart disease can be deadly if left untreated. Our assessment will help you understand your risk for heart disease in just a few minutes. You’ll either get the peace of mind of knowing your heart is healthy, or if you do have an elevated risk, we’ll connect you with the resources you need to take control of your heart health.

Conditions & Treatments

Cutting-edge cardiovascular care is right here in your community at PeaceHealth. We use advanced technology for the diagnosis, treatment, and long-term maintenance of heart and vascular needs, including:

• Aortic Stenosis
• Arrhythmia
• Atrial Fibrillation (a common Arrhythmia)
• Coronary Artery Disease
• Heart Attack
• Heart Failure 
• High Blood Pressure (Hypertension)
• Mitral Regurgitation

Heart disease management, treatment, and care is evolving rapidly. Our cardiac specialists get people back to normal life quickly by using the most innovative and minimally invasive techniques possible to diagnose and treat all kinds of heart issues, including:

• MitraClip
• TAVR (transcatheter aortic valve replacement)
• Watchman