WakeMed Offers Innovative Treatment Option for Patients with Atrial Fibrillation

RALEIGH, N.C. (Sept. 29, 2022) – WakeMed is now offering Abbott’s Amplatzer Amulet Left Atrial Appendage (LAA) Occluder, a minimally invasive therapy for patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib) who are at a risk for stroke. The heart team at WakeMed, including Dr. Ashish Patel and Dr. Frances Wood, completed three of these procedures in August, becoming the first hospital in Eastern North Carolina to utilize the technology.

AFib occurs when the upper chambers of the heart (atria) beat out of coordination with the lower chambers (ventricles) and contract rapidly and irregularly. In some people with AFib, the LAA – a small, naturally occurring pocket connected to the upper left chamber of the heart – can allow blood to pool and increase the likelihood of clot formation, which can travel to the brain and cause a stroke.

Amulet is the first and only minimally invasive treatment option to offer immediate closure of the LAA, thereby preventing blood clots and reducing the risk of stroke in patients with AFib. It eliminates the need for blood thinners post-procedure, which AFib patients are often not able to take long-term, by utilizing dual-seal technology to completely seal the LAA.

“Amplatzer Amulet LAA Occluder gives us an entirely new treatment option for AFib patients,” said Dr. Ashish Patel, medical director and electrophysiologist with WakeMed Heart & Vascular Complex Arrhythmia. “For patients who are unable to take blood thinners, Amulet provides a safe and effective way to prevent stroke. We’re excited to be the first in the region to utilize the technology and look forward to it helping many in the future.”

Amulet is FDA approved and available in a wide range of occluder sizes, accommodating a variety of different patient anatomies.

About WakeMed Health & Hospitals

Serving the community since 1961, WakeMed is a not-for-profit health care system founded and based in Raleigh, N.C. WakeMed exists to improve the health and well-being of our community by providing outstanding and compassionate care to all. WakeMed’s 970-bed system comprises a network of facilities throughout the Triangle area, including three full-service hospitals, seven emergency departments, a dedicated Children’s Hospital and Rehabilitation Hospital, more than 80 physician offices and Wake County’s only Level I Trauma Center. WakeMed’s mission-driven team includes more than 10,300 employees, 1,000 volunteers and 1,300 affiliated physicians, along with the more than 700 physicians and providers with WakeMed Physician Practices – all representing the best minds and the biggest hearts and the finest quality in health care and community health. For more information, visit www.wakemed.org or follow WakeMed on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.

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