Pepin Heart Institute at AdventHealth Tampa becomes first in Tampa Bay to complete 1,000th WATCHMAN™ heart procedure

TAMPA, Fla., June 04, 2025 — The heart care experts at the Pepin Heart Institute, a part of AdventHealth Tampa, are now the first in the Tampa Bay area to complete 1,000 WATCHMAN ™ procedures, a minimally invasive surgery that helps prevent stroke and cardiovascular death in patients with atrial fibrillation (AFib) who are at increased risk.

The WATCHMAN is a small, parachute-shaped device about the size of a quarter. It’s implanted via catheter through a vein in the upper leg and placed in the heart’s left atrial appendage, which is the area where more than 90 percent of stroke-causing clots originate in patients with non-valvular AFib. Once in place, the device permanently seals this area, creating a long-term solution for stroke prevention.

“Hitting this milestone, with the 1,000th WATCHMAN procedure recently completed by Dr. Paul Gerczuk, reflects our commitment to delivering leading-edge cardiovascular care using the most advanced and least invasive techniques available,” said Dr. Kenneth Yamamura, a board-certified electrophysiologist at the Pepin Heart Institute, a part of AdventHealth Tampa. “The WATCHMAN allows us to reduce our patients’ stroke risk and help them come off blood thinners over time, significantly improving their quality of life.”

For Gregory Kingery of Sebring, the procedure was life-changing. After being diagnosed with AFib, Kingery struggled to breathe and walk. Today, he credits the WATCHMAN with giving him his life back. “There are a lot of people who don’t get a second lease on life,” Kingery said. “I’m grateful I did.”

The procedure was performed at the Pepin Heart Institute at AdventHealth Tampa, a facility with a more than 35-year legacy of bringing innovative cardiovascular care to the Tampa Bay area. The Institute was born from personal experience: In 1986, when Tampa resident Art Pepin needed a heart transplant, his only option was more than 500 miles away. After surviving his transplant, he returned home determined to improve access to heart care in his own community.

That mission lives on today with his son, Tom Pepin, and granddaughter, Tina, through the Pepin Family Foundation. Together, they carry forward a multigenerational commitment to advancing heart health and expanding access to life-saving treatment.

“This procedure is more than a number—it’s about lives transformed,” said Tom Pepin at a June 4 event to celebrate the milestone surgery. “Since becoming the first hospital in Tampa to offer this groundbreaking procedure in 2015, Pepin Heart Institute has been at the forefront of cardiovascular medicine. We’re honored to help people in our community live longer, fuller lives.”

“We’re proud to carry on that legacy and ensure world-class, compassionate support is available right here in Tampa Bay,” added Tina Pepin. “It’s a testament to the power of vision, innovation and whole-person care.

The WATCHMAN is often recommended for Afib patients like Kingery who are unable to tolerate long-term use of blood thinners due to side effects or complicating conditions like cancer, kidney or liver issues, heart failure, or a history of bleeding or stroke.

For more than 35 years, the Pepin Heart Institute, in partnership with the Dr. Kiran C. Patel Research Institute, has offered patients early access to breakthrough therapies and technologies in a state-of-the-art, three-story facility dedicated solely to heart care.

Learn more at AdventHealthPepinHeart.com.