Pacemaker Surgery

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According to a survey conducted in 2016, almost 1.7 million people in India were suffering from a heart condition. Considering the fact that health care is still an expensive sector for an average family, it is rather alarming to see such a large number of heart patients. A condition like an arrhythmia is one among many to affect the function of the heart. In extreme cases, this condition demands a procedure like a pacemaker surgery as a viable treatment option.

Arrhythmia is a condition in which the patient’s heartbeat becomes abnormal. With surgery, the surgeon implants the pacemaker device under the skin of the chest area. However, there are two types of arrhythmia and only upon doctor’s assessment does the patient receive a pacemaker surgery. The two types of arrhythmias are:

• Tachycardia - In this condition, the heart rate of a patient spikes to more than a 100 beats per minute. The average heart rate fluctuates between 60 to 100 beats per minute. A patient suffering from this condition may require an immediate pacemaker surgery. There are three types of tachycardia:

  • Supraventricular

  • Ventricular

  • Sinus tachycardia

• Bradycardia - Another condition in which a suffering patient may require an immediate pacemaker surgery. This condition is characterized by fall in the heart rate below the normal rate of 60 beats per minute. This leads to the low amount of blood supply to the heart and other parts of the body lead to a total collapse of major organs.

An electrical device for medical purpose, a pacemaker is an electrically-charged medical device which the surgeon implants under in a patient to bring irregular heartbeats under control. These have been around since 1950 when a Canadian electrical engineer developed the first pacemaker. However, modern pacemakers have been improved and equipped with precision-purpose components. There are two major parts, a pulse generator, containing the battery and the electronics that control your heartbeat, and one or more leads, electrodes, or wires to send electrical signals to your heart. More than controlling a patient’s heart rate, a pacemaker can also track and record the patient’s heartbeat. This record allows a better insight into the patient’s condition to the doctor. A surgery could involve the placement or either a permanent or a temporary implant. A temporary implant allows treatment of a slow heartbeat after a heart attack, surgery or overdose of medication. Depending on the requirement, there are three types of pacemakers:

• Single chamber: A single chamber pacemaker is responsible for carrying electrical impulses from the pulse generator straight to the heart ventricle.
• Dual chamber: A dual chamber pacemaker is responsible for carrying electrical impulses from the generator equally to both the right ventricle of the heart and right atrium of the heart. These impulses can control the contractions and relaxations of the heart.
• Biventricular: A biventricular pacemaker is a viable treatment option for people who have suffered a heart failure. This is also viable of an option for people with the damaged electrical system of the heart. Contrary to the functioning of a conventional pacemaker, a biventricular pacemaker carries electrical impulses to both the left and right ventricular chambers of the heart.

Since pacemaker treats arrhythmias, it is important for a patient to know about various symptoms involved in this condition. Given below is the list, Have a look.

• Fluttering sensation in the chest - Fluttering or rapid contractions of the upper chambers of the heart is a symptom arrhythmia.
• Racing or reduced heartbeat - Increased heart rate leads to a condition called tachycardia, if a patient is diagnosed with such a condition, then they may require a pacemaker surgery.
• Similarly, surgery may also be required if the heart rate becomes too slow leading to bradycardia.
• Chest pain
• Shortness of breath
• Lightheadedness Dizziness - Both are signs indicating an insufficient supply of blood to the heart and other parts of the body.

Remember to always seek the second opinion before deciding to get surgery. A medical procedure is liable to suffer complications as there are complex conditions at play. Hence, there are certain complications and risks one should be aware of before getting a pacemaker surgery.

• Blood Clot - Reports suggest that 1 in every 50 surgery cases are likely to develop blood clot complications. These complications arise in the arms of the side of the body where the pacemaker resides after the surgery. To take care of this issue, doctors prescribe anticoagulant medicines.
• Infection - Surveys reveal that 1 in every 100 cases of pacemaker surgery is at risk of developing infections. These infections surface within the first year of receiving the surgery. Infection symptoms include constant fevers above 100F, pain, and swelling near the area where this device resides in the chest.
• Collapsed or Punctured Lung - The pacemaker surgery involves situating the wires or the electrodes of the pacemaker device in the vein which lies near the lung. Thus, there is a high risk that minor missteps could lead to accidentally puncturing the lung during the surgery.
• Pacemaker Problems - No matter how precise, the pacemaker is still a machine at the end of the day. And it is a commonly known fact that machines are liable to break down.

Thus, a pacemaker surgery also involves the risk of malfunction of the pacemaker device. These malfunctions include anything from a failed battery to the improper programming of the pacemaker. Regardless of a patient’s condition, it is always healthy to seek a second opinion and receive the right treatment for the patient’s condition.

A heart is one of the most delicate organs of the body and it is quintessential to ensure that it functions properly at all times. Thus, if necessary one should not shy away from getting a pacemaker surgery despite the risks involved as those risks are very well mitigated by experienced medical professionals.