Pacemaker Implant

Part II

Before and after surgery

My office will advice you

  • Hold blood thinners:

2 days for Eliquis, Xarelto or Pradaxa; Coumadin as per my office protocol, depending on your other cardiac conditions

  • Hold metformin for 2 days

  • The hospital will call you the night before regarding time of surgery

 

 

  • No eating or drinking after midnight the night before surgery

  •  Clean your entire chest with Hibiclens Antiseptic Cleanser the evening before procedure and again the morning of procedure; can be found over the counter at any pharmacy 

  • If allergic to iodine, follow my office protocol

How do I implant the Pacemaker

  • The surgery lasts about 1-2 hours
  • You'll receive a sedative but no general anesthesia
  • I will make a small incision near your shoulder and I'll pass a wire through it into your veins, guiding it to your heart. I will be guided under X ray machine.
  • Using the wire , I will attach the pacemaker lead to your Right ventricle; Using a different wire , I will attach a lead to your Right atrium.

The proximal end of the leads is attached to the Generator, " battery of pacemaker", lying under your skin 

Generator

Leads or

electrodes

After your surgery

  • You may go home that evening or may stay overnight, depending on your age and other medical conditions

  • You will receive a preventive antibiotic for the next 5 days

  • Keep the incision clean and dry for 3 days; no showers, only sponge baths for 3 days

  • May shower after 3 days; the steristrips on the incision will fall off over the next few days

After Pacemaker Surgery

Leaving a normal life with a pacemaker

  • Allow the incision to heal; no sudden arm motions, pulling, pushing or heavy lifting for 4 weeks; allow the leads to be " glued " to your heart. It takes about 4 weks.

  • Return to normal activities and exercise after 4 weeks

After Pacemaker Surgery

Leaving a normal life with a pacemaker

  • Call my office in the next few days to be enrolled in the " telephone  checks"; Joanne, my nurse, will help you connect with pacemaker checking program which allows me to follow your pacemaker settings and activity 

  • Joanne , my pacemaker nurse, will guide you for further follow up

  • See me in the office 1-3 weeks after implant. 

Leaving a normal life with a pacemaker

  • Modern pacemakers are not as sensitive to electrical devices as the old ones 

  • However, certain devices could cause interference with your pacemaker

Leaving a normal life with a pacemaker

You should avoid

  • keeping a cell phone or MP3 player in the pocket over your pacemaker

 

  • standing long near a microwave

 

  • long exposure to metal detectors

 

  • high-voltage transformers
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