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Arrythmia Surgery
Some patients may benefit from surgery to regulate an irregular heart beat.
Pacemaker
An electronic pacemaker may be implanted by your physician to regulate your heart rate if it is too slow or irregular. A slow or irregular heartbeat means that blood is not pumped through your body as well as it should. Your doctor may recommend an artificial pacemaker to make your heart beat more regularly, so that your body receives adequate oxygen and nutrients.
The pacemaker is put into place through a small incision in the upper chest. Pacemaker wires are also implanted which carry signals between the heart and the pacemaker. When the pacemaker detects a slow or irregular heart rhythm, it delivers an electrical impulse through the leads to your heart.
Over time, the batteries of your pacemaker will wear down and the pacemaker will need to be replaced. It is a minor surgical procedure. Talk with your doctor about how changes in function may be detected. If you experience a sudden large slowing down of your heart rate, you may have a more serious problem and should contact your doctor as soon as possible.
Implantable Defibrillator
A defibrillator, like a pacemaker, is a device that is implanted into your chest to monitor your heart rate. The defibrillator, however, is used if your heart rate becomes too fast. The defibrillator detects when your heart rate increases, and sends out electrical signals to the heart to bring the heart rate back down to normal.
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