ArticleJournal of cardiovascular electrophysiology2023
Watchman device migration and embolization: A report from the NCDR LAAO Registry.
Article in Journal of cardiovascular electrophysiology, 2023. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 14 papers.
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The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
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Who cites it
14 citing papers in PubMed, 18 citations in OpenAlex.
- Delayed Aortic Embolization of a Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion Device: Implications for Risk-Stratified Postprocedural Management.JACC. Case reports · 2026Article
- Late Left Atrial Appendage Occluder Embolization: A Rare But Catastrophic Event.JACC. Case reports · 2026Article
- Retrieval Strategies for Embolized Left Atrial Appendage Closure Devices.JACC. Case reports · 2026Article
- Percutaneous Retrieval of Embolized Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion Device From Mitral Valve Apparatus.JACC. Case reports · 2026Article
- Effect of Device Size on Outcomes Following Left Atrial Appendage Closure in Borderline-Sized Anatomy.JACC. Asia · 2026Article
- Pseudo-Migration After Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion: A Case Series Highlighting a Novel Diagnostic Pitfall.JACC. Case reports · 2026Article
- Left Atrial Appendage Closure in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation and Intermediate-to-Borderline High Cardiovascular Risk: A Retrospective Propensity Match Cohort Study.Journal of cardiovascular development and disease · 2026Article
- Management of device embolisation during left atrial appendage closure.EuroIntervention : journal of EuroPCR in collaboration with the Working Group on Interventional Cardiology of the European Society of Cardiology · 2025Review
- Emergent Cardiac Surgery After Transcatheter Structural Heart Procedures: Narrative Review.Catheterization and cardiovascular interventions : official journal of the Society for Cardiac Angiography & Interventions · 2025Review
- WATCHMAN Gone Astray, Catastrophic Mitral Regurgitation Following Device Dislodgement.Annals of cardiac anaesthesia · 2025Article
- Imaging assessment after percutaneous left atrial appendage closure: from immediate to long-term follow-up.European heart journal. Cardiovascular Imaging · 2025Review
- Percutaneous Retrieval of Free-Floating Amulet Device From Left Atrium.JACC. Case reports · 2025Article
- Transcatheter Extraction of a Migrated Left Atrial Appendage Occluder Device.JACC. Case reports · 2024Article
- Left atrial appendage closure device embolization-You may not know if you do not look.HeartRhythm case reports · 2023Article
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Authors and funding
7 authors at 3 institutions in 1 country.
Funding
Abstract
introductionIncomplete anchoring of the Watchman left atrial appendage closure (LAAO) device can result in substantial device migration or device embolization (DME) requiring percutaneous or surgical retrieval.
methodsWe performed a retrospective analysis of Watchman procedures (January 2016 through March 2021) reported to the National Cardiovascular Data Registry LAAO Registry. We excluded patients with prior LAAO interventions, no device released, and missing device information. In-hospital events were assessed among all patients and postdischarge events were assessed among patients with 45-day follow-up.
resultsOf 120 278 Watchman procedures, the in-hospital DME rate was 0.07% (n = 84) and surgery was commonly performed (n = 39). In-hospital mortality rate was 14% among patients with DME and 20.5% among patients who underwent surgery. In-hospital DME was more common: at hospitals with a lower median annual procedure volume (24 vs. 41 procedures, p < .0001), with Watchman 2.5 versus Watchman FLX devices (0.08% vs. 0.04%, p = .0048), with larger LAA ostia (median 23 vs. 21 mm, p = .004), and with a smaller difference between device and LAA ostial size (median difference 4 vs. 5 mm, p = .04). Of 98 147 patients with 45-day follow-up, postdischarge DME occurred in 0.06% (n = 54) patients and cardiac surgery was performed in 7.4% (n = 4) of cases. The 45-day mortality rate was 3.7% (n = 2) among patients with postdischarge DME. Postdischarge DME was more common among men (79.7% of events but 58.9% of all procedures, p = .0019), taller patients (177.9 vs. 172 cm, p = .0005), and those with greater body mass (99.9 vs. 85.5 kg, p = .0055). The rhythm at implant was less frequently AF among patients with DME compared to those without (38.9% vs. 46.9%, p = .0098).
conclusionWhile Watchman DME is rare, it is associated with high mortality and frequently requires surgical retrieval, and a substantial proportion of events occur after discharge. Due to the severity of DME events, risk mitigation strategies and on-site cardiac surgical back-up are of paramount importance.
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