A Groby grandfather has made stepped into the medical history books at the city's Glenfield Hospital.
John Parker, 81, has had a special "umbrella" type device inserted into his heart to stop clots forming and causing a stroke.
If it is successful it could pave the way for patients to come off the blood thinning drug warfarin which can cause a number of side effects.
Glenfield Hospital is one of just 10 centres nationally chosen to evaluate the procedure.
Mr Parker was the first to have the procedure on November 26 when the device - known as the Watchman device - was implanted by consultant cardiologist Dr Jan Kovak.
The jelly fish like device is inserted by a catheter through the groin and into the heart.
Mr Parker said: "We are very lucky to have someone so expert in this field in Leicester.
"It took me by surprise when I was told I was the first person to have this procedure, but I just didn't have any other option."
Mr Parker, who has three children and three grand children, was first prescribed warfarin in 2008 for atrial fibrilation - irregular heartbeat - to guard against blood clots forming and causing a stroke.
He said: "The problem was that I kept having nose bleeds.
"It must have happened about 50 times and on occasion my nose would just bleed and bleed.
"It didn't matter what you were doing they would just suddenly start and I found it really difficult to cope.
"Sometimes it was so bad that I would have to have it cauterised - there was nothing else which could be done."
Mr Parker added: "Dr Kovac told me about the Watchman device but it has been a long process to get the funding approved."
All appears to be going well but Mr Parker will not know until a further test on January 7 how the new device has settle down.
He said: "At the moment I am still on the warfarin but it is looking positive.
"I am extremely grateful to everyone who has made this possible and I hope it will lead the way in a lot of other patients being able to have this procedure."
Dr Kovac, a consultant cardiologist at Glenfield Hospital said: "There is great potential for preventing strokes and saving many patients' lives.
"Strokes are also very expensive to treat medically and in the community.
"For some patients taking warfarin puts them between a rock and a hard place - they need to reduce the risk of stroke but it can cause severe bleeding."
The cost of the device is about £5,000.
Dr Kovac said: "It's not cheap but if it can help prevent patients having strokes it is a good thing.
"Mr Parker is the first of 15 patients to have this procedure by the end of March and the following year we are planning to do about 40 procedures.
"It is a very good start. Glenfield is very privileged to have one of the centres chosen for this evaluation.
"It is good for our patients and it is another feather in our cap."
Trudie Lobban, chief executive of the Atrial Fibrillation Association, said: "This is excellent news for patients who cannot be anticoagulated with medication and therefore are at very increased risk for stroke. We hope this innovative treatment will soon be available to all patients who need it and will benefit from it as AF-related strokes are often more devastating than other types of strokes. This treatment option will not only improve the quality of life of patients suffering with AF but could reduce the economic burden on the NHS."
