What Happens

The bottom of my heart is almost entirely dependant on my pacemaker. When it has to be replaced, what keeps my heart pumping oxygen to my brain while they are changing everything?
Helen

3 Comments

Fast Hands

by mike thurston - 2009-11-17 07:11:10

I asked my EP that very question a couple of months ago. He replied "I have really fast hands. I think that he simply puts jumper wires from an external PM onto the leads already in my chest until he has the new device situated. Sort of scary for me as I am 100% PM dependent and have no underlying escape rhythm. I trust him as he has done a great job so far. One thing about having a ICD/PM and heart disease, you either learn to carry on knowing there is risk or you sit in a corner and let it beat you up. If I think about the situation for very long it is easy to get almost petrefied but if I just say the heck with it and go climbing, Mountain biking whatever then it seems to be way less stressful. At any rate I hope my EP does indeed have fast hands :)

depends

by Tracey_E - 2009-11-17 07:11:56

It depends on your underlying rate. I am also 100% ventricular paced, my underlying rate is low (upper 20's - low 30's on a good day). The amount of time between when they disconnect the old one and turn on the new one is very minimal so most of us can get by for the minute or so it's turned off. If it's a problem, they can temporarily use an external pm. Either way, the replacement is safe and routine.

Changing the pacer

by ElectricFrank - 2009-11-17 11:11:20

I checked with my cardiologist at my last appt. I'm coming up on a replacement soon. His description of the procedure is that he lays both old pacer, still hooked up and operating, and the new one temporarily programmed to 65 BPM single lead pacing on my chest. He loosens the screws that hold the ventricle lead in the old pacer and quickly pulls the lead out and inserts it in the new one. Since it is already pacing I might miss a beat or two. With me back to being paced he can take his time finishing up moving the second lead and securing everything.

I figure on staying awake during the procedure with no anti-anxiety drugs since it worked out well for the implant.

frank

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