A pacemaker is a small, battery-operated device. This device senses when your heart is beating irregularly or too slowly. It sends a signal to your heart that makes your heart beat at the correct pace.

Alternative Names
Cardiac pacemaker implantation; Artificial pacemaker; Permanent pacemaker; Internal pacemaker; Cardiac resynchronization therapy; CRT; Biventricular pacemaker; Arrhythmia - pacemaker; Abnormal heart rhythm - pacemaker; Bradycardia - pacemaker; Heart block - pacemaker; Mobitz - pacemaker; Heart failure - pacemaker; HF - pacemaker; CHF- pacemaker
Description
Newer pacemakers weigh as little as 1 ounce (28 grams). Most pacemakers have two parts:
- The generator contains the battery and the information to control the heartbeat.
- The leads are wires that connect the heart to the generator and carry the electrical messages to the heart.
A pacemaker must be implanted under the skin. This procedure takes about 1 hour in most cases. You will be given a sedative to help you relax. You will be awake during the procedure.
A small incision (cut) is made. Most often, the cut is on the left side of the chest below your collarbone. The pacemaker generator is then placed under the skin at this location. The generator may also be placed in the abdomen, but this is less common.
Using live x-rays to see the area, the doctor puts the leads through the cut, into a vein, and then into the heart. The leads are connected to the generator. The skin is closed with stitches. Most people go home within 1 day of the procedure.
There are 2 kinds of pacemakers used only in medical emergencies. They are:
- Transcutaneous pacemakers
- Transvenous pacemakers
They are not permanent pacemakers.