Implanting the pacemaker
Implanting the pacemaker requires a minor surgical procedure performed in the cardiac catheterization laboratory. Your physician will discuss the implantation with you prior to the procedure. Once you and your physician have discussed the procedure and you’ve had any questions answered, you’ll be required to sign an informed consent form.
You won’t be allowed to eat or drink for eight hours prior to the procedure. Please consult with us several days before your procedure to determine whether or not you should discontinue any of your usual medications.
During the procedure, you’ll lie flat on a table for the duration of the implantation. Your upper chest will be scrubbed and shaved (if needed) and you’ll be covered with sterile sheets. You’ll receive some sedation intravenously to help you relax during the procedure.
The physician will give you a local anesthetic at the site of the pacemaker implantation. After the area is numb, the physician will guide the leads through your vein and into the heart’s right-side chambers using fluoroscopy (x-ray monitors). Once the lead has been positioned, the physician will make a two- to three-inch incision in your skin, creating a small “pacemaker pocket.” The leads will be connected to the pulse generator, which is then placed into the pocket. Your physician will suture the incision over the pacemaker and place a dressing over it. The entire pacemaker implantation usually lasts about two hours.