Reported Reactions

Devices › System, appendage closure, left atrial

Device brand name · System appendage closure left atrial

Watchman Flx: medical device reports filed with FDA

593 reports name it, 2023–2026. Manufacturer given most often on reports: Boston Scientific. Product code NGV.

593
device reports naming the brand
0% of all MAUDE reports · about 174 a year
190
reports, 12 months to August 2026
393 in the 12 months before
0.7%
classified as malfunction
10.9% across the product code
18%
classified as death, as reported
107 reports · not verified by FDA

FDA's MAUDE database holds 593 reports that name the brand "Watchman Flx" (system appendage closure left atrial), received between February 2023 and August 2026; the manufacturer given most often on reports is Boston Scientific. Spellings of one product vary from report to report.

190 reports arrived in the 12 months to August 2026, down 52% from 393 in the 12 months before. FDA releases MAUDE data monthly; reports can arrive months after an event, so the newest months grow in later releases. The event types recorded are injury (81.3%), death (18%) and malfunction (0.7%); across all system, appendage closure, left atrial reports (product code NGV) death is recorded in 10.6% and malfunction in 10.9%. Event type is the reporter's classification of the report, not a verified outcome.

The device problems coded most often are failure to seal (7.8%), difficult to open or close (6.1%) and migration (5.7%). The patient problems coded most often are thrombosis/thrombus, stroke/cva and transient ischemic attack. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data."

Reports by month, five years

077153Sep 2021: 0Oct 2021: 0Nov 2021: 0Dec 2021: 02022Jan 2022: 0Feb 2022: 0Mar 2022: 0Apr 2022: 0May 2022: 0Jun 2022: 0Jul 2022: 0Aug 2022: 0Sep 2022: 0Oct 2022: 0Nov 2022: 0Dec 2022: 02023Jan 2023: 0Feb 2023: 2Mar 2023: 1Apr 2023: 0May 2023: 0Jun 2023: 0Jul 2023: 0Aug 2023: 0Sep 2023: 0Oct 2023: 0Nov 2023: 0Dec 2023: 12024Jan 2024: 1Feb 2024: 2Mar 2024: 0Apr 2024: 1May 2024: 0Jun 2024: 0Jul 2024: 1Aug 2024: 1Sep 2024: 1Oct 2024: 4Nov 2024: 13Dec 2024: 82025Jan 2025: 153Feb 2025: 14Mar 2025: 6Apr 2025: 18May 2025: 16Jun 2025: 17Jul 2025: 135Aug 2025: 8Sep 2025: 5Oct 2025: 11Nov 2025: 6Dec 2025: 52026Jan 2026: 105Feb 2026: 11Mar 2026: 10Apr 2026: 5May 2026: 10Jun 2026: 4Jul 2026: 13Aug 2026: 5

Reports by the month FDA received them. FDA releases MAUDE data monthly; reports can arrive months after an event, so the newest months grow in later releases.

By year received

01973942023: 420232024: 3220242025: 39420252026: 1632026

Event type and report source

Event type, as classified on the report

Death18%107
Injury81.3%482
Malfunction0.7%4
Other0%0
Not given0%0

Who filed the report

Manufacturer report99%587
Voluntary report0.3%2
User facility report0%0
Distributor report0%0
Not given0.7%4

Grey bar: all 17,328 reports carrying product code NGV. Event type is the filer's classification and is not verified by FDA.

Device problems coded

Device problem (FDA code)ReportsShareShare across product code
Failure to seal467.8%2.5%
Difficult to open or close366.1%4.2%
Migrationthe device moved from where it was placed345.7%4.4%
Device dislodged or dislocated91.5%3.8%
Material integrity problema problem with the device material30.5%1.6%
Activation, positioning or separation problem10.2%0.1%
Air/gas in device10.2%0.2%
Device-device incompatibility10.2%0.1%
Improper flow or infusion10.2%0%
Nonstandard device10.2%0.2%

FDA's device problem codes as entered on the report; one report can carry several. Generic codes such as "no apparent adverse event" are left out.

Patient problems coded

Patient problem (FDA code)ReportsShare
Thrombosis/thrombus11719.7%
Stroke/cva11419.2%
Transient ischemic attack528.8%
Thromboembolism345.7%
Endocarditis244%
Pericardial effusionfluid around the heart172.9%
Speech disordera speech problem132.2%
Muscle weakness/atrophy122%
Facial paralysis101.7%
Cardiac tamponade91.5%
Dizzinesslight-headedness or unsteadiness81.3%
Dyspneashortness of breath71.2%
Numbnessnumbness71.2%
Chest painchest pain61%
High blood pressure/ hypertension61%

Patient problem codes are present mainly in reports filed since 2019 and are often blank.

In context

MeasureWatchman FlxProduct code NGVAll MAUDE reports
Reports59317,32826,136,888
Share of that pool—3.4%0%
Classified as death, per 1,000 reports1801069
Classified as injury81.3%78.5%36.2%
Classified as malfunction0.7%10.9%62.3%
Filed by the manufacturer99%99.1%94.9%

Shares are of reports, not of devices in use. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data."

Other brands with product code NGV

BrandReportsLatest 12 monthsClassified as death
WATCHMAN LAA Closure Device & Delivery System4,042359.2%
WATCHMAN FLX Left Atrial Appendage Closure Device with Delivery System3,92313110.9%
Amplatzer Amulet2,54059112.3%
WATCHMAN FLX? Pro2,4161,38612%
WATCHMAN Access System2,081124.5%
WATCHMAN FLX Pro LAA Closure Device with Delivery System454576.6%
Watchman Flx Laa Closure Device & Delivery System281014.6%
WATCHMAN TruSeal Access System716508%
WATCHMAN FXD Curve Access System9731989.6%
WATCHMAN TruSteer? Access System4012609.2%
Abbott26507.5%

Ordered by report count for navigation only. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data." FDA also states that "common products may have a higher number of adverse events due to the higher total number of people using the product."

Questions about Watchman Flx reports

How many FDA reports name Watchman Flx?

593 medical device reports in the openFDA MAUDE release of 28 Sep 2026, covering reports received through August 2026; 190 in the latest 12 months.

What kinds of events are reported?

injury (81.3%), death (18%) and malfunction (0.7%). "Event type" is how the report was classified when filed: death, injury, malfunction or other.

What device problems are coded?

failure to seal (7.8%), difficult to open or close (6.1%), migration (5.7%), device dislodged or dislocated (1.5%) and material integrity problem (0.5%). These are FDA's device problem codes as entered on the report.

Who files these reports?

manufacturer reports (99%) and voluntary reports (0.3%). Manufacturers and user facilities are required to report; voluntary reports come from health professionals and the public.

Do these reports show that Watchman Flx was at fault?

No. FDA states that "MDR data alone cannot be used to establish rates of events, evaluate a change in event rates over time or compare event rates between devices. The number of reports cannot be interpreted or used in isolation to reach conclusions about the existence, severity, or frequency of problems associated with devices." It adds that the reporting system "has limitations, including the potential submission of incomplete, inaccurate, untimely, unverified, or biased data." FDA adds that "a causal relationship cannot be established between product and reactions listed in a report."

How do I report a problem with a medical device?

Through FDA MedWatch (Form FDA 3500 for health professionals and consumers), or to the manufacturer. See the guide on how to report.

Where this comes from. Counts are built from the openFDA Device Adverse Event (MAUDE) bulk export released 28 Sep 2026, which holds reports FDA received through 31 Aug 2026. Brand, generic and manufacturer names are as written on the reports; product code names come from FDA's device classification. A report counts here when any device it lists carries this brand name after punctuation and capitalisation are normalised. No report narrative, lot number, patient detail or reporter identity is published. See the methodology and sources; FDA's record is authoritative, and corrections are handled within five working days.

Drug data (FAERS) through 30 Jun 2026; device data (MAUDE) through 31 Aug 2026. Not medical advice.