Implantable Cardiac Devices

Learn about the devices a doctor at Adventist HealthCare Heart & Vascular Institute can place in your body to maintain a normal heartbeat: pacemakers and implantable cardioverter defibrillators (ICDs). Both devices treat weak hearts and arrhythmia (abnormal heart rhythm).

Pacemakers

Pacemakers have a tiny generator that sends mild electrical signals to your heart to make it beat steadily and at the right speed. They can also make the chambers (atria and ventricles) of a weak heart beat together and pump blood better.

Types of Pacemakers

Depending on your needs, you may receive a:

• Traditional pacemaker (most common) – Implanted outside of your heart (but still under your skin) and uses wires, or leads, to send pulses to electrodes placed in your heart
• Wireless pacemaker (newer option) – Placed inside your heart and doesn’t use leads

What to Expect

If you need a traditional pacemaker, your doctor will thread the wires and electrodes through your blood vessels to your heart. Then, the doctor will make an incision in the skin of your chest or abdomen, slip the pacemaker inside and connect it to the wires.

If you receive a wireless pacemaker, the doctor will attach the device to a thin tube called a catheter and insert it into a large artery in your upper thigh. Your physician will guide the pacemaker through the artery up to your chest and place it in a heart chamber.

Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillators (ICD)

Defibrillators shock your heart to reset it if the device senses a life-threatening arrhythmia. Many ICDs do the job of a pacemaker, but they can also deliver a higher-energy electrical pulse to prevent or treat cardiac arrest (stopped heartbeat).

Types of ICDs

Depending on your needs, you may receive a:

• Traditional ICD (most common) – Placed under the skin near your collarbone and uses wires to connect to your heart
• Subcutaneous ICD (newer option) – Placed under the skin near your armpit and doesn’t use wires

What to Expect

Your doctor will make an incision in your upper body to place the defibrillator. If your device includes wires, the physician will thread them through your veins into your heart chambers. The cardiologist will use imaging technology to see that the wires are placed correctly and test the device to make sure it works.

Follow-Up Care After Device Placement

See your cardiologist regularly to check that your ICD or pacemaker is working well. It will need new batteries after several years, and sometimes the wires need to be replaced, too. Your doctor will tell you how to care for yourself and your device. Call your physician’s office or send a message through the patient portal any time you have questions. We’re always happy to help.

Rehabilitation After Surgery

Following your procedure, your doctor may recommend cardiac rehabilitation to help you safely regain strength, endurance and energy. In this 12-week program, you’ll enjoy supervised exercise tailored to your needs. You’ll also receive education and counseling from heart experts, so you learn how to improve your cardiovascular health at home. Look forward to advice and encouragement from people who know firsthand what you’ve experienced.