Patient Health InfoPacemakers
A cardiac pacemaker detects your heartbeat and supplies electrical energy to produce a heartbeat when you need it. This precise instrument and its power supply can be implanted beneath the skin and connected to the inside of your heart by a flexible lead. There are several varieties of permanent pacemakers which are designed to function for years. A pacemaker is usually inserted under the skin near the left shoulder and below the collarbone. Left handed people may prefer the pacemaker to be placed on the right side.
Preparation
After you and your physician have discussed the procedure, you will be asked to sign a consent form. Please read it carefully and ask any questions you have.
Do not eat or drink anything after midnight the night before your scheduled procedure. The area where the pacemaker is to be inserted will be scrubbed and intravenous fluids started. You will receive a medication to help you relax.
The Procedure
The procedure requires between 30 and 90 minutes. The implantation will take place in a special procedures room. You will be awake, but sedated and comfortable. The attending staff will explain each step of the procedure. If you have questions at any time, please ask.
The area of the insertion will be scrubbed again. You will be covered with sterile sheets and the implant site will be numbed with a local anesthetic. You will feel pressure during the procedure but you should not feel any pain. Please tell your physician if you feel any pain.
An incision will be made and the pacemaker generator will be placed in a pocket created between your skin and chest muscle. One or two electrical leads will be threaded through the vein in your shoulder to your heart.
Your cardiologist will use a special x-ray to watch the leads as they are maneuvered into the heart. The leads will be positioned in contact with the heart muscle. Their job is to sense heart activity and transmit the electrical impulses to your heart from the pacemaker near your shoulder. A dressing will be placed over the incision.
Following the Procedure
You will be returned to your hospital bed. You will be allowed to eat and drink as soon as you feel comfortable. For up to 24 hours, your activity will be limited to bedrest to allow the leads to begin attaching to the heart wall. You will remain in the hospital for one to three days. The head of your bed may be adjusted for comfort. Avoid raising your elbows above shoulder level one to two weeks following the procedure to prevent pulling the leads out of position. Pacemakers normally operate eight to 10 years. You will receive information on the maintenance and monitoring of your pacemaker. We will monitor your pacemaker using a telephone transmitter. Reports will be sent to the physician who placed the pacemaker and to your family physician. You may also be checked annually through our pacemaker clinic or an outreach clinic near your home.