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Updated: Oct 19, 2025

The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 28, 2012
Autopsy findings of left atrial appendage closure device
Masaaki Nakase1, Masahiko Asami1, Kazuyuki Yahagi1
1Division of Cardiology, Mitsui Memorial Hospital, Tokyo, Japan.
Abstract:
We report an autopsy case of an 80-year-old woman who underwent left atrial appendage closure with a WATCHMAN (Boston Scientific, St. Paul, MN, USA) device. This is the first report of histologic assessment following left atrial appendage closure with a WATCHMAN device at 3 months. Gross and histopathological examinations revealed neoendocardial coverage of the WATCHMAN device. Partial endothelialization was verified by CD34 staining; however, it remains unclear when complete endothelialization is likely to occur.

