Baptist Memorial Hospital-North Mississippi recently started offering a new procedure to help reduce stroke risk in people with atrial fibrillation, a quivering
or irregular heartbeat, not caused by a heart valve problem.

The minimally invasive procedure involves implanting the WATCHMAN FLX Left Atrial Appendage Closure device to keep harmful blood clots from forming and entering the bloodstream. The procedure can be an alternative for people who have AFib and take a blood thinner to reduce their risk of stroke.

“We are excited to offer this new procedure to patients who live with a risk of stroke because of atrial fibrillation,” said Dr. Thomas Flautt, electrophysiologist with Stern Cardiovascular located in Oxford, Mississippi. “This one-time procedure can help reduce their risk for stroke while offering an alternative to a lifetime of taking blood thinners. That can be life-altering for these patients.”

“We are very proud of Dr. Flautt and our cardiology team for making such a significant difference in our patients’ lives that are at high risk for stroke,” said Brian Welton, administrator and CEO at Baptist North Mississippi. “It’s a huge advantage for our patients to have this resource and it enables us to help an even broader group of patients.”

An estimated seven million Americans are affected by atrial fibrillation. People with this condition have a five times greater risk of stroke than those with normal heart rhythms.

For more information, please call 662-636-1000 or visit northmiss.baptistonline.org.