Pacemaker Surgery: Procedure, Benefits & Recovery Guide

Table of Contents

What Is Pacemaker Surgery?

Pacemaker surgery is performed to help patients who have irregular (arrhythmias) heartbeats by using a device called a pacemaker that stimulates the heart directly with pulses of energy to restore normal rhythm and rate to the heart. Pacemaker surgery can be very effective in treating irregular heartbeats; the device is placed under the skin near the chest area.

A pacemaker uses electrical impulses to activate the heart when the natural electrical system fails to work correctly. Some examples of conditions that can lead to needing pacemaker surgery include Bradycardia (slow heart rate) or other forms of heart block (blocked electrical activity in the heart) and some types of heart failure (inability to pump enough blood throughout the body).

Pacemakers today are available in a variety of size and shapes; all of them are safe and effective and can result in an improvement in the quality of life as well as an overall increase in survival rate.

Why Is Pacemaker Surgery Needed?

Why would someone need a pacemaker?

When a person’s heart is unable to create its own rhythm, the doctor will recommend the need for pacemaker surgery to alleviate the condition. There is an electrical system in the body that is responsible for controlling how quickly the heart beats. When this electric system begins to fail, it can lead to:

Bradycardia. = Slow Heart Beat
Heart Block.
Syncopal Episodes. = Fainting.
Extreme Fatigue (Chronic Fatigue).
Shortness of breath.
Arrhythmia – Irregular Heartbeat.

For some patients, especially older patients or those with significant heart problems already, the body cannot supply enough blood to function adequately because it is so slow to beat. As such, these patients will benefit from a pacemaker surgically implanted in their bodies for some painless life-saving benefits.

There are some instances where doctors will suggest a pacemaker after performing open-heart surgery, as well as in patients who have heart failure and could use assistance with the synchronization of the heart’s electric impulses to help the heart beat more efficiently through the Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) program.

If you are experiencing unexplained dizziness, blackouts, extreme fatigue, or fainting for no known reason, your cardiologist may perform a series of diagnostic tests including an ECG (Electrocardiogram), a Holter Monitor, or an Electrophysiology Study (EPS). These tests will determine if the patient requires a pacemaker.

How Is Pacemaker Surgery Performed? (Pacemaker Surgery Procedure)

What happens during pacemaker implantation?

Typically, the Pacemaker Surgery Procedure proceeds smoothly and lasts roughly 1-2 hours. Here’s how it usually works:

1. Preparation

Patients typically receive local anesthesia around the chest area to keep them from feeling pain during procedures. Mild sedation may also be used to keep patients relaxed while they await surgery. The procedure will be performed in either a cardiac catheterization lab or an operating room (the two are often combined).

2. Inserting Leads

To insert leads into the heart, a small incision is made beneath the collarbone (roughly 2 to 3 inches long). The leads are tiny insulated wires that will connect the electrical generator of the pacemaker to the heart. The leads need to be placed in various parts of the right atrium so that they can create an electrical pathway between the generator and the various parts of the heart that require stimulation.

3. Placing the Pacemaker Device

Once all four leads have been placed and tested for accuracy of placement, the generator (an electrical circuit powered by a battery) will be placed just under the patient’s skin in a small pocket created by the surgeon. The physician will then connect the leads to the generator.

4. Testing and Closing

Once the device has been installed, the physician will test the device to ensure that it is functioning properly, at which point they will close the incision using stitches. Afterward, most patients will remain in the hospital for monitoring purposes for roughly 24 to 48 hours, depending on the patient’s condition and any issues discovered during surgery; once discharged, the pacemaker will have been programmed according to how well the patient’s heart is functioning.

What Are the Benefits of Pacemaker Implantation?

How does a pacemaker improve life?

Implanting a pacemaker has many advantages for patients who suffer from slow and/or irregular heartbeats:

1. Restores normal cardiac rhythm – The main benefit of implanting a pacemaker is that it will help restore a normal sinus rhythm so that your heart can continue to pump blood in an effective manner.

2. Reduces symptoms – Many patients report that their symptoms such as dizziness, fainting, breathlessness or fatigue have all subsided after being treated with a pacemaker.

3. Improves quality of life – Once your heartbeat has been regulated, you will be able to resume daily activities (light exercise, working, and socialising).

4. Prevents dangerous complications – A patient with an untreated arrhythmia may eventually suffer from heart failure or be at risk of sudden cardiac arrest. Pacemaker therapy significantly reduces this risk.

5. Long term durability – Pacemakers that are currently available for use are made with durable components and batteries that can last for 7 to 15 years, based upon the activity level of the patient and the number of times the device is used.

In conclusion, pacemaker surgery is an overall very safe procedure and has a high success rate if performed by an experienced cardiologist.

Recovery After Pacemaker Surgery

What is the pacemaker recovery time?

Patients typically recover quickly and easily following their pacemaker surgery as long as they follow the guidelines below for proper aftercare.

Initial Recovery

Most people will experience mild discomfort and some swelling near where their permanent pacemaker was implanted immediately following the procedure (the first week). It is important not to lift your arm on the side where the pacemaker was implanted over your shoulder until your doctor gives you permission to do so.

Continue maintaining your incision site clean and dry.

Short-Term Recovery

You will feel comfortable returning to your normal daily routine between one and two weeks after your surgery. You should refrain from doing any heavy lifting or strenuous activities for four to six weeks after having your pacemaker implanted. Your doctor will do a follow-up appointment with you to ensure that your pacemaker settings are appropriate for you, usually at one month and six months after pacemaker surgery.

Long-Term Care

You will also need to carry a pacemaker identification card at all times, help your healthcare providers (doctor or dentist) know before having any type of medical procedure, tell airport security staff about your pacemaker, and avoid being near strong magnetic fields.

Your doctor will also want to perform routine check-ups on your pacemaker approximately every six to twelve months after your initial surgery.

Lifestyle after your Pacemaker

You can continue to do all of the following:

Travel
Use your mobile phone (but keep it at least six inches away from the pacemaker)
Exercise (but not too vigorously)
Live a normal life

Most people find they adjust quickly enough that they forget they even have a pacemaker!

Are There Any Risks?

As with all surgical procedures, there are minimal complications that can result from a surgical procedure to insert a pacemaker; this includes:

Infection at the site of surgery,
Bleeding or bruises,
Displacement of leads from the pacemaker,
And, infrequently, malfunctioning device.

However, when pacemaker surgery is performed in a facility that has been appropriately outfitted to handle cardiovascular surgery, there is little chance of encountering any serious complications.

Having to have a pacemaker can sound like a scary thing. However, it is really not. Pacemaker placement has improved so much in recent years due to technology and better trained cardiologists.

Conclusion

At Jaipur Hospital, we have a complete team of heart specialists to give you a correct diagnosis of your heart, perform a successful surgery to place a pacemaker in your heart, and give you an incredible amount of help after surgery until you’re completely recovered from your pacemaker implant surgery.

If you or a loved one are experiencing any symptoms of a heart that is beating too fast or slow, heart rhythms aren’t consistent, dizziness or fainting, the sooner you can get to see a specialist, the better. Our commitment at Jaipur Hospital is to give you the most advanced heart pacemaker surgery using the best technology and high-quality patient care and the most modern operating facilities available — because your heart deserves nothing but the very best.