A stent is
a small meshed metal tube that is inserted permanently into a
coronary artery. The stent helps hold open the artery so that
blood can better flow through it. Go to the
Mayo Clinic website to read about Coronary
angioplasty and stenting. Watch a short video on the
procedure. Go to the
Pacemakers Any change in the
normal rhythm of the heart is called Arrhythmia. Most
arrhythmias result from problems in the electrical system of
the heart. Arrythmias are usually treated with medication.
When treatment does not work for the kind of arrythmias that
slow the heart down, a pacemaker may be neccessary.
The pacemaker is an electronic device that is
surgically placed in the body to regulate the
heartbeats. A pacemaker delivers extra electical
impulses to the heart to make it beat faster. The pacemaker has two parts: A pulse generator and
insulated leads. (Some pacemakers have 1 lead, others
have 2 leads) The pulse generator
is a small metal box that contains a very small electronic
chip and a battery. The battery provides the power and the
chip acts like a computer program. The electronic chip
in the pulse generator senses the heart's beat and then
sends out electric signals accordingly, in order to regulate
heartbeats and maintain a normal rate.
The pacemaker leads are inserted into a vein below
the collar bone and passed along this vein into the
heart. The leads are then attached to the inside of the
heart wall. The leads are tested and connected to the
pacemaker. The pacemaker is then implanted under the
skin below the left or right shoulder. This procedure
takes about an hour. The pacemaker is now tested and adjusted to suit your
needs. Most pacemaker batteries last between 5 and 10 years.
The battery level will be checked at each pacemaker
clinic. Replacing the battery requires a local
anesthetic and is a short
procedure.
At Medline
Plus you will find interactive lessons on health
issues and surgical procedures, including the following topics
of interest to cardiac patients. *
Atrial
Fibrillation *
Exercising for a Healthy Heart *
Managing Cholesterol * Open
Heart Surgery - What to Expect? *
Heart Valve Replacement *
Coronary Angiogram and Angioplasty *
Angina *
Congestive Heart Failure * Pacemakers
|