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Pacemaker

A pacemaker is a small device implanted in the chest to regulate an abnormal heart rhythm. It generates electrical impulses to stimulate the heart if the heart's natural pacemaker (the SA node) fails. The surgery involves making a small incision to insert leads through a vein into the heart and connecting them to the pacemaker, which is placed under the collarbone. Recovery is usually quick, though there are small risks of infection or bleeding from the incision site.

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Eugen Rutkowski
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54 views13 pages

Pacemaker

A pacemaker is a small device implanted in the chest to regulate an abnormal heart rhythm. It generates electrical impulses to stimulate the heart if the heart's natural pacemaker (the SA node) fails. The surgery involves making a small incision to insert leads through a vein into the heart and connecting them to the pacemaker, which is placed under the collarbone. Recovery is usually quick, though there are small risks of infection or bleeding from the incision site.

Uploaded by

Eugen Rutkowski
Copyright
© Attribution Non-Commercial (BY-NC)
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
Available Formats
Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Artificial Pacemaker

What is a Pacemaker?

• A normally functioning heart beats at a rate


between 60 and 100 contractions per minute
• These contractions are triggered by a piece of
heart tissue called the Pacemaker (or SA node)
• The Pacemaker generates electrical impulses
that stimulate the heart to contract
• In some people the SA node fails to make the
heart contract with its normal rhythm
• This is called arrhythmia
• The most common arrhythmia , for which
pacemaker surgery is recommended is
bradyarrhythmia (slow heart beat)
• The most common reason for a arrhythmia is
caused by a disruption in the SA node or in the
system of nerves that conducts electrical
signals to the heart
• A pacemaker is a device that will send its own
electrical impulses to the heart and stimulate
the heartbeat
Symptoms
• An arrhythmia can be silent and not cause any
symptoms
• A doctor can detect an irregular heartbeat
during a physical exam by taking your pulse or
through an EKG
• If symptoms occur, they may include a feeling
of skipped hear beats, pounding in your chest,
dizziness or feeling light headed fainting and
weakness and fatigue
Before Surgery
• You must not have anything to ear or drink
after midnight on the night before you arrive
at the hospital
• Do not take any anti-inflammatory like Aspirin
for 10 days before the surgery
• Talk with your doctor about all drugs that you
take
• Arrange transportation because you will not
be allowed to drive after the surgery
The actual surgery
• The surgeon makes a small skin incision in the
upper chest, just below the collarbone
• A pocket is then created between the skin and
the tissue that covers the chest muscle
• Next instruments called retractors are used to
hold back the skin and the underlying tissue.
They are locating a blood vessel called the
subclavian vein
• A thin guide wire is then inserted through the
needle and into the vein. It is gently pushed until
it reaches the heart.
• Using a fluoroscope the surgical team is able to
see the wire’s progress through the vein and into
the beating heart
• Once the wire is placed the needle is removed
and a catheter (a hollow tube) is passed over the
guide wire onto the heart
• One or two leads are then passed through the
catheter
• Once the leads go through the right atrium in the
right ventricle the catheter is removed
• Finally the lead is connected to the pacemaker
and the pacemaker is inserted into the pocket
below the collar bone and the incision is
closed
After the Surgery
• Pain may occur but there shouldn’t be any
serious problems
• Pacemaker surgery only rarely leads to
complications
• Possible problems include infection or
bleeding from the incision where the
pacemaker was inserted
• Like in every heart surgery there is a risk
• Once you are home you are responsible for
keeping the dressing intact and clean
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0AMlHZ_
UWjU

• 1 min

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