Pacemaker Implant

Excessively slow, fast or irregular heart rhythms can severely affect the heart's ability to pump blood throughout the body. This may cause symptoms such as fatigue, dizziness, shortness of breath, fainting and in extreme circumstance, death. When these rhythm abnormalities cannot be corrected by medications, or become intolerable, or pose a danger to your life, your doctor may recommend a pacemaker to be implanted.

The implantation is performed usually in the Cardiovascular Catheterisation Laboratory. After injection of local anesthesia a small incision (cut) is made in the upper left chest and a small "pocket" is created under the skin to accommodate the pacemaker box. An insulated lead is then inserted through a vein in the upper chest and, guided by x-ray, is threaded until its tip lies snuggly within the heart. The other end of the lead is then connected to the pacemaker. The incision wound is closed with stitches, cleaned and bandaged.