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Gerald Lakin was
the first patient
to receive a
Watchman Device
at Kootenai Health.
This new device
is able to reduce
a patient’s risk
of stroke without
the use of blood
thinners.
the appendage, preventing clots
from leaving the heart. Over time,
the heart grows new tissue over the
mesh material of the Watchman
Device, creating a permanent wall.
Gerald Lakin was the first
patient of Kootenai Heart Clinics
Northwest to receive the device.
Gerald began experiencing atrial
fibrillation symptoms over 20 years
ago while living in western Wash-
ington. He managed his AFib with
medication and continued on that
care plan when he and his wife of
52 years retired to Coeur d’Alene
16 years ago.
In 2014 Gerald underwent an
ablation at Kootenai’s Heart Clin-
ics Northwest to treat his AFib.
Despite the ablation, Gerald had a
stroke shortly after.
“I met with Dr. Cooke, and he
suggested trying the procedure
to reduce my stroke risk,” Gerald
said. “I’m looking forward to mov-
ing off of my blood thinners and
still reducing my risk of having
another stroke in the future.”
On Oct. 30, Gerald underwent
the short procedure to have the
device implanted. Because the
recovery process is easy for Watch-
man patients, he was able to return
home the next day and get back to
his normal daily activities.
“There will be a time follow-
ing the procedure when patients
will still be on an anticoagulant,”
Dr. Cooke explained. “But patients
will be weaned off this medication
over the course of about 12 weeks.”
A R E Y O U A C A N D I D A T E ?
Candidates for the procedure are
patients who have AFib, are at a
high risk for stroke, and may have
complications with bleeding due
to blood thinners, or have a strong
objection to taking blood thinners.
H E L P Y O U R H E A R T
If you are interested in
learning more about new
procedures and treatments available
at Kootenai Heart Clinics Northwest,
visit
kh.org/hcnwor call the main
office at
(208) 625-5250
.
KH . ORG
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