In a healthy heart, there is normally a pacemaker-like mechanism. This helps in maintaining the heart’s rhythm and space. Your cardiologist may suggest installing a pacemaker in your chest if there is any abnormality in the heart function. In order to keep the heart’s rhythm normal, a pacemaker sends electrical signals to the heart. For the treatment of fainting spells (syncope), congestive heart failure, and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy also, a cardiologist uses
pacemaker in Kolkata apart from using it as a corrective procedure for arrhythmia.
The leads and the pulse generator are the two parts of a pacemaker. The wires implanted into the heart muscle through veins comprise the first part and the latter part consists of the battery and a small computer pushed inside the chest. The leads perform a dual function of monitoring the heart’s activity and helping carry impulses from the pulse generator. The heart gets the power to contract from these impulses.
The three types of pacemakers are single-chamber pacemakers, dual-chamber pacemakers and biventricular pacemakers.
Before the treatment
When you reach the hospital for admission, you must be in comfortable clothes and you have to change into the hospital gown. You have to stop taking any medicine 1 to 5 days before the surgical procedure according to the advice of the doctor. From the midnight before the procedure, you should also not eat anything.
The procedure
Your pacemaker doctor in Kolkata will perform the pacemaker procedure in any of the two ways mentioned below according to the situation.
Among the two pacemaker procedures, the endocardial process is the most common one. The doctor will push an intravenous line through your veins during this procedure. The area of performing this is usually your arm or hand. Through it, medicines and fluids will enter into your body. You will be in a drowsy state under the effect of a medicine pushed through your veins. Throughout the entire procedure, the doctors will monitor your heart rhythm and blood pressure.
The doctor will instruct to shave the right side of your chest and clean the area with antiseptics before the procedure. There will be sterile drapes all over your body from neck to toe. The doctor will make an incision after numbing a part of your skin to insert the pacemaker into your chest. He/she will constantly monitor the movement of the leads while they push them inside. Your heart will contract with the help of the electrical energy that the leads produce. During this process, your heart may start beating faster. If there is any abnormality, inform the cardiologist immediately. The doctor will then connect the wires to the pacemaker and check the settings of the device using a programmer.
For children, an epicardial process is normally used. The patient will be under the effect of general anaesthesia. The doctor will attach a lead to the top of the heart muscle and place the other end, which is connected to the pulse generator, in a special place in the abdomen. In comparison to the endocardial approach, the recovery time is usually longer in this process.
