Main Parts of a Pacemaker

• A pacemaker is a device that uses electrical impulses to ensure a regular beating of the heart. It consists of a generator and a single or multiple wires called leads. The generator, also referred to as a battery, sends out the current for the heartbeat. The leads are wired to the heart and deliver the electricity.
  
  

Need for a Pacemaker

• The human heart has a natural pacemaker, but in cases in which the heart has suffered damage, that natural pacemaker may not be functioning at all or not regulating the heartbeat well enough. When the heart beats too slow to sustain the body, a pacemaker is installed to correct the condition, known as Bradycardia. Conversely, when the heart beats too fast, a pacemaker will control Tachycardias, a racing heart rhythm.
  
  

Surgery

• The surgery is an outpatient procedure. The pacemaker recipient is not to eat or drink the morning of the procedure. The shoulder is cleaned and shaved if necessary. The shoulder is then numbed and receives an incision 1 to 2 inches in length. The pacemaker is placed near the heart and attached to the nearby muscle group. The leads are attached to the generator and the heart. A bandage is applied and a test is conducted.
  
  The patient returns for a checkup within a week. In the meantime, the patient is advised to avoid strenuous activities as well as over-extending the operated shoulder. The physician will test the patient's heartbeat upon follow-up.
  
  

Recovery

• Patients are able to resume their normal life but are instructed to continue their medication for the original heart issues. A pacemaker will normally last for 6 to 8 years. Patients return to the doctor for pacemaker checkups once a year after the surgery. Patients are advised to avoid metal detectors due to the interference danger posed to the pacemaker.