The NJ Police Chief Magazine Volume 25, Number 6 | Page 23

The New Jersey Police Chief Magazine | June 2019
Ask the Physician
I’ve got that irregular heartbeat called “Atrial Fibrillation” and my doctor has me taking warfarin to keep blood clots
from forming. I’m really not happy taking a blood thinner and wanted to know if there are any other options out
there.
Drew K., Whippany, NJ
Drew, you’ve asked an important question, which I am glad to answer with a resounding “Yes, there is!” Deborah Heart and Lung
Center offers a terrific new technology that gives a non-surgical alternative to long-term warfarin therapy: the WATCHMAN left
atrial appendage closure implant. This device provides a non-surgical alternative to long-term warfarin therapy. The implant,
delivered via the groin, closes off the left atrial appendage (LAA), keeping harmful blood clots from leaving the LAA and entering
the bloodstream.
As patients with atrial fibrillation (A-Fib) get older, their risk for stroke increases, as well as their risk of bleeding from blood
thinners. With the risk of stroke reduced, patients are usually able to stop taking oral anticoagulants like warfarin over time –
welcome news for those seeking a non-drug alternative to manage their stroke risk from A-Fib.
This technology is one of the two non-pharmacologic approaches Deborah offers to patients with A-Fib. The other technology is the
STEREOTAXIS ABLATION procedure, to get rid of the abnormal signals. The ablation procedure is done in our stereotaxis robotic
lab for a more effective and safer procedure.
Please contact Deborah for an appointment—I look forward to meeting you!
Raffaele Corbisiero, MD, FACC
Attending Cardiac Electrophysiologist
Division Director, Electrophysiology and Pacing
Deborah Heart and Lung Center
22