All You Need To Know About Pacemaker Surgery
A pacemaker is a small implantable medical device that helps regulate the heart rhythm. It helps in managing conditions associated with the electrical system of the heart, when any part of the conduction system of the organ fails. Its major function is to ensure that the heart does not beat too fast or too slow, and beats at the right rhythm to avoid arrhythmias.
It is placed under the skin below the collar bone and connected to the heart chambers by lead wires running through a blood vessel. This surgery usually takes 1 to 2 hours.
It consists of the following parts:
- Pulse Generator: It is the part of the system that is capable of analyzing information and responding appropriately by delivering output signals by continuously monitoring how the patient’s heart is working.
- Lead Wires: They connect the Pulse Generator to the heart chambers.
- Programmer: It is a computer that can communicate with the implanted Pulse Generator. It is used for testing, analyzing, and altering the mode of working of the Pulse Generator during and after the pacemaker implantation surgery.
Individuals who may require a Pacemaker implant are people suffering from:
- Bradycardia: In this condition, the heart rate is lower than 60 bpm.
- Heart Block: This is the condition in which the electrical signal of the heart is disrupted.
- Congenital Heart Diseases
- Damages to SA node due to aging or heart disease
- Long QT Syndrome
To diagnose if a patient requires a pacemaker implant, certain diagnostic assessments are carried out such as ECG, Holter & Event Monitors, Echocardiography, Electrophysiology Study, and Stress Test.
Depending on the symptoms and the functioning of the patient’s heart, the doctor decides which type of pacemaker would be best to support their heart. Some patients may require pacemaker support only for one chamber of their heart, whereas some others may need support for multiple chambers of their heart.