Pacemaker Implantation at Cordis Cathlab - Heart Hospital in Mumbai
How is a Pacemaker Implanted?
Whether or not you need a surgical pacemaker implantation depends on a number of factors. The doctor might recommend catheter-based or vein-based surgery. The catheter-based approach works for leadless pacemakers. The catheter is inserted into your veins through the groin and is threaded up to your heart. It takes an hour to fit a pacemaker in your chest with a catheter method.
Surgical procedure is more common in pacemakers with one or more leads. If your heart condition involves more than one chamber, the doctor may have to perform a small incision to insert the lead into your heart. They attach the lead to the pacemaker, which is inserted in your abdomen.
A pacemaker has the ability to save lives. By stabilizing your heart rhythms, the device keeps your heart in good and working order.
How Does a Pacemaker Work?
The role of a pacemaker is to identify the rate of your heartbeats and signal your heart to beat when the rhythm sounds irregular. Your heart chambers expand and contract to pump blood. A heart failure, narrowed arteries, and other problems in your heart’s electrical system can affect the rate at which your heart pumps blood. As a result, your heart’s chambers might contract and expand in an incorrect order. A pacemaker can be used to correct your heart’s electrical system by sending impulses whenever it detects a lower than normal heart rate.
The device is composed of an electric pulse generator, leads, and electrodes. The pulse generator features a small computer, a battery, and an electronic circuit. The electrodes are placed on the leads. There could be one or more leads attached to the veins connected to your heart. The lead connects your heart with the pacemaker. It’s responsible for sending the information back and forth between the heart and the pacemaker. If the lead detects the heartbeats lower than programmed levels, it sends an electrical impulse to your heart through electrodes, which are connected to the heart walls.
A pacemaker does not interfere with your natural heartbeats. The device is only for emergency purposes when your heart rates fall below the pacemaker’s minimum limit. In other words, the pacemaker doesn’t send any impulse to your heart unless it detects abnormal heart rhythm. The healthcare sector has launched a new type of pacemaker, capable of treating the irregular pumping pattern. The device is connected to the two ventricles of your heart, increasing the amount of blood flow from your heart.
When Do You Need a Pacemaker?
Your doctor might recommend pacemaker implantation for various heart diseases. It is mostly used to fix Bradycardia, a condition in which your heart pumps blood too slowly. The patient might experience dizziness, fatigue, or constant chest pain.
Talk to a healthcare expert to know if your condition can be treated with a pacemaker. Your doctor will ask about the symptoms, medical history, and current medications. They might also order tests to get a clear picture of how your heart is working. Here are some common medical conditions where a pacemaker is recommended.
- Constant chest pain
- Tachycardia (when your heart beats at a faster rate than normal)
- Bradycardia (slow heartbeat)
- Arrhythmia
- Heart palpitations (a condition in which the patient can feel their heart pounding in the chest)
- Shortness of breath
- Swollen ankles and abdomen
- Dizziness, confusion, and nausea
There may be other heart conditions that require a pacemaker implantation.
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