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Updated: Jul 22, 2026

The WATCHMAN Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device for Atrial Fibrillation
Published on: February 28, 2012
Embolized Watchman Removal With Modified Hangman Technique
Jonathan Charles1, Premsai Kumar1, Summer Decker1
1USF Health Morsani College of Medicine, Tampa, Florida.
Abstract:
In this case report, we explore a novel technique to remove an embolized Watchman device (Boston Scientific) into the thoracic aorta endovascularly. The technique involves a wire + snare combination that is threaded through the metal struts of the Watchman. This combination technique along with the threading provides increased stability during removal and decreases the risk of the Watchman slipping from the devices and causing further embolization. Further work is required to elucidate the efficacy of this technique in other scenarios.

