Description
A pacemaker insertion is the implantation of a small electronic device that is usually placed in the chest (just below the collarbone) to help regulate slow electrical problems with the heart. A pacemaker may be recommended to ensure that the heartbeat does not slow to a dangerously low rate.
The pacemaker sends electrical pulses to your heart to keep it beating regularly and not too slowly.
Having a pacemaker can significantly improve your quality of life if you have problems with a slow heart rate. The device can be lifesaving for some people.
Types of pacemakers -
Your doctor will decide what type of pacemaker you need based on your heart condition. Your doctor also determines the minimum rate (lowest heart rate) to set your pacemaker.
• Leadless Pacemaker – Self-contained device without connecting leads (wires) and generator
• Biventricular Pacemaker – also called cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT)
Why do I need a pacemaker?
The heart is essentially a pump made of muscle, which is controlled by electrical signals.
These signals can become disrupted for several reasons, which can lead to a number of potentially dangerous heart conditions, such as:
• an abnormally slow heartbeat (bradycardia)
• an abnormally fast heartbeat (tachycardia)
• heart block (where your heart beats irregularly because the electrical signals that control your heartbeat aren’t transmitted properly)
• cardiac arrest (when a problem with the heart’s electrical signals cause the heart to stop beating altogether)
How is a pacemaker fitted?
Having a pacemaker implanted is a relatively straightforward process.
• It’s usually carried out under local anaesthetic, which means you’ll be awake during the procedure.
• The generator is usually placed under the skin near the collarbone on the left side of the chest.
The generator is attached to a wire that’s guided through a blood vessel to the heart.
• The procedure usually takes about an hour, and most people are able to leave hospital on the same day or a day after surgery.
What are the risks of the procedure?
Possible risks of pacemaker include, but are not limited to, the following:
• Bleeding from the incision or catheter insertion site
• Damage to the vessel at the catheter insertion site
• Infection of the incision or catheter site
• Pneumothorax. If the nearby lung is inadvertently punctured during the procedure, leaking air becomes trapped in the pleural space (outside the lung but within the chest wall); this can cause breathing difficulties and in extreme cases may cause the lung to collapse.
