How is a Pacemaker Installed?

 

A pacemaker is a minor device that's positioned (implanted) in the chest to support and control the heartbeat. It's used to stop the heart from beating too gradually. Inserting a pacemaker in the chest needs a surgical procedure.

Kinds of pacemakers made by Cardiac Pacemaker Manufacturers

Reliant on your condition, you might have one of the following kinds of pacemakers.

The single chamber kind conveys electrical impulses to the right ventricle of the heart.

The Dual chamber kind conveys the impulses to the right ventricle and right atrium of the heart and assists in controlling the timing of the contractions of the two chambers.

The third kind is the Biventricular type, which is used for people with heart failure and heartbeat glitches. This kind of pacemaker stimulates both the lower heart chambers and helps the heart beat more efficiently.

 

Why do patients require pacemaker implantation?

Doctors generally recommend the implantation to control the heartbeat, and they could recommend temporary pacemaker implantation if the patient has a slow heartbeat, after he has suffered a heart attack, has had surgery done, and is otherwise expected to recover. The pacemaker may be implanted permanently to correct a chronic slow or irregular heartbeat.

What does a pacemaker do?

Pacemakers function when only they are required. If the heartbeat is slow, it directs signals to the heart to correct the heartbeat. Some of the latest versions of the pacemakers supplied by cardiac pacemaker suppliers contain sensors that notice body motion or breathing and signal the machine to increase the heartbeat during exercise as required.

What are the components of a pacemaker?

The pacemaker is comprised of two components

A pulse generator is a minor metal container that contains the battery and the electrical circuitry that controls the speed of the electrical pulses sent to the heart.

It may contain one to three supple, insulated wires that are positioned in the chambers of the heart and they transport the pulses to adjust the heartbeat. The latest pacemakers have no wires and are named leadless pacemakers, that are embedded straight into the heart muscle.

How do patients get ready for a pacemaker implantation procedure?

Before a physician decides that a patient requires a pacemaker, he will get several examinations done to find the reason for the irregular heartbeat. These examinations could include

An ECG-This rapid examination computes the electrical activity of the heart. Sticky electrodes are positioned on the heart and occasionally on the arms and legs. Wires connect the electrodes to a computer and display the examination outcome. The ECG can display if the heart is beating too fast, too slow, or not at all.

Holter Monitor- The Holter monitor is a small machine that tracks the heartbeat. The doctor will require a patient to use the monitor for one or two days, as the machine will record all his heartbeats. Holter monitoring is particularly valuable in identifying heartbeat glitches that befall at random times.

Stress Test- Some glitches in the heart only arise when a person is exercising. For this investigation, AN ECG is done before and immediately after a patient walks on a treadmill or rides a stationary bike.

What is the pacemaker implant procedure like?

What occurs before the procedure?

The patient shall be mostly awake when the pacemaker is implanted, which could take a couple of hours. The medical team will implant an IV in his forearm or hand and give him a tranquilizer to help him relax. His chest will be cleaned with a special soap. Most pacemakers implant processes are completed using local anesthesia to numb the part where the cut will be made. Though the amount of anesthesia given will be contingent on the patient’s specific condition. He could be awake, slightly sedated, or be given general anesthesia and he is fully asleep.

What occurs during the process?

One or more wires are implanted into a major vein underneath the collarbone of the patient and are guided to the heart using x-ray pictures. One end of each wire is secured at the precise location in the heart and the other end is connected to the pulse generator, which is typically embedded under the skin beneath the collarbone. The leadless pacemaker is generally smaller and needs a less invasive operation to embed the machine. The pulse generator and other pacemaker parts are enclosed in a solitary capsule. The doctor implants a flexible catheter in the vein in the groin and then steers the single component pacemaker through the catheter to the appropriate position in the heart.

What occurs after the process?

The patient would have to spend a day or two in the hospital after the implant. The pacemaker will be programmed to fit his heartbeat requirements. He would need somebody to drive him home.