Implantable Medical Devices For The Heart

Implantable Medical Devices For The Heart

Implantable Medical Devices For The Heart
If you have a heart problem, implantable medical devices can be used to help your heart function properly. Several types of devices approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration are available to keep your heart beating strong. These devices -- including a pacemaker, stent and heart pump -- can help improve the quality of your life, lower your risk of a heart attack and help reduce chest pain. Learn more about implantable medical devices for the heart with expert advice from Sharecare.

Recently Answered

  • QWhat should I expect after mechanical circulatory support device surgery?
    1 Answer
    A
    Dr. Nasir Z. Sulemanjee, MD - Milwaukee, WI - Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease)
    A Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered on behalf of

    You will have many tubes in place after mechanical circulatory support device (MCSD) surgery. You will feel groggy as you begin to wake. Until you are fully awake, your hands will be restrained so you do not accidentally pull out any of the tubes. As you get better, the ties and tubes will be removed. Below is a brief description of each tube and when it will be removed:

    • Breathing tube: You will be connected to a breathing machine (ventilator) immediately after surgery. A tube goes through your mouth and into your windpipe. Many people find this tube to be uncomfortable. As soon as you can breathe well on your own, the breathing tube will be removed. You will not be able to talk or completely cough out your sputum while the tube is in. Nurses will need to suction out the sputum. This procedure is brief, but it can make you feel out of breath.
    • Stomach tube: You will have a tube that goes from your nose or mouth to your stomach. This tube prevents nausea and vomiting. The tube will be removed when you are able to eat. If you are unable to eat for three or four days, the tube may be used for liquid nourishment.
    • Arterial line: You will have an arterial line in your wrist. This small thin tube allows the nurses to draw blood samples and measure your blood pressure. This line will be carefully protected, which may limit the use of your wrist and hand. This line will be removed before you leave the intensive care unit (ICU).
    • Intravenous (IV) lines: You will have several intravenous lines. These tiny tubes will be threaded into the veins in your neck or shoulder area. These lines can be used to give medications, take blood samples, or monitor your heart function. Most of them will be removed before you leave the ICU.
    • Chest tubes: There will be tubes in your chest to drain the blood that collects after surgery. These tubes prevent a buildup of blood in your chest. The nurses check these tubes frequently to monitor the drainage. Chest tubes can cause discomfort when you take a deep breath or move. You will receive medication to help control the discomfort. They will be removed when drainage from the chest stops.
    • Urine catheter: There will be a tube in place to drain urine from your bladder. The nurses will measure how much urine you are making. This helps the doctor decide how much fluid and medication to give you.
  • QWhat is a left ventricular assist device (LVAD)?
    8 Answers
    A
    Piedmont Heart Institute
    A answered
    Newer devices are currently available and undergoing testing. These devices are smaller and more durable. These smaller devices often times do not require an abdominal component of the surgery.  The entire pump may be placed within the chest simplifying the procedure for a prospective patient. These new smaller pumps utilize an impeller type system (axial flow) and there are currently systems under review that utilize a magnetically suspended system offering a yet further increase in longevity of pump function.
    See All 8 Answers
  • QWhat is a percutaneous ventricular assist device (PVAD)?
    1 Answer
    A
    Intermountain Healthcare
    A answered
    A percutaneous ventricular assist device (PVAD) is a small mechanical pump that gives short-term support for the heart from a few hours up to 15 days. It's typically used to give your heart time to strengthen if you have heart failure as a result of heart surgery or a heart attack. The PVAD is worn outside the body and is connected to the heart through a vein in your thigh. One benefit of the PVAD is that it can be placed in the cardiac catheterization lab.
  • QWhat should I ask my doctor about an implantable loop recorder?
    1 Answer
    A
    SecondsCount.org
    A answered
    The following questions can help you talk to your physician about wearing an implantable loop recorder. Print out or write down these questions and take them with you to your appointment. Taking notes can help you remember your physician’s response when you get home.
    • What symptoms make me a good candidate for an implantable loop recorder?
    • What will the implantable loop recorder tell us about my heart health?
    • Will I need to use an activator to turn on my implantable loop recorder?
    • Do I need to have an empty stomach before the procedure to insert the recorder? Should I withhold any of my medications? Are there any medications that I will need to take?
    • Will I have limitations after the procedure to insert the recorder? Will I need to have someone who can drive me home?
    • Are there activities I should avoid while I have the recorder?
    • When will the implantable loop recorder likely be removed?
    • What happens next if the data from the implantable loop recorder shows abnormal heart rhythms?
  • QWhat is an implantable loop recorder?
    4 Answers
    A
    Dr. Suman Pasupuleti, MD - Inverness, FL - Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology
    A Clinical Cardiac Electrophysiology, answered on behalf of
    What is an implantable loop recorder?
    An implantable loop recorder is a recorder that can be implanted under the skin to record heart rhythm for up to 3 years. Watch this video to learn more about interventional cardiology from Suman Pasupuleti, MD at Citrus Memorial Hospital.
    See All 4 Answers
  • QDo people with LVADs always go on to receive heart transplants?
    1 Answer
    A
    Dr. Robert Mohapatra, MD - Cherry Hill, NJ - Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease)
    A Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered on behalf of
    People with left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) do not always go on to receive heart transplants. When a person has end stage heart failure, the doctor determines whether the person might be a candidate for a heart transplant.  If the person is deemed to be a potential candidate for a transplant, then an LVAD may be placed as a bridge until the person is capable of getting the transplant.

    Other people, for different reasons, may be candidates for LVADs and have what is known as destination therapy, meaning they have the LVAD implanted and then go ahead and just live with that device afterwards. Reasons they may not qualify for heart transplant include that they're older and they don't meet the age cutoff, or they have other underlying medical problems that prevent them from getting a transplant, such as a history of cancer within the last few years.

    Trinity Health is a Catholic health care organization that acts in accordance with the Catholic tradition and does not condone or support all practices covered in this site. In case of emergency call 911. This site is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider.
  • QWhat provides power to left ventricular assist devices (LVADs)?
    1 Answer
    A
    Dr. Robert Mohapatra, MD - Cherry Hill, NJ - Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease)
    A Cardiology (Cardiovascular Disease), answered on behalf of
    Power to left ventricular assist devices (LVADs) is provided by batteries. The batteries are external and people normally have some sort of pack that they wear around their abdomen which contains the batteries. The batteries are connected to the device by a drive line, which goes through a small incision on the side of the abdomen.

    People normally are given multiple packs of batteries and are educated in terms of the importance of how long the batteries last, how often they need to be recharged, and the importance of having fully charged batteries at all times. The batteries last for quite a long time, so people are able to go out without concerns of having to constantly change the batteries.

    However, if they're going out for an extended period of time they may want to take extra batteries just to be on the safe side.

    Trinity Health is a Catholic health care organization that acts in accordance with the Catholic tradition and does not condone or support all practices covered in this site. In case of emergency call 911. This site is educational and not a substitute for professional medical advice, always seek the advice of a qualified healthcare provider.
  • QWhat precautions should I take if I have a pacemaker or ICD?
    1 Answer
    A
    Intermountain Healthcare
    A answered
    Along with a better heartbeat, a pacemaker or implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICD) brings a few other changes to your life. Follow the tips below to protect your device:
    • Let people know. Carry your device ID card at all times -- it will give healthcare providers important information in an emergency. Before any procedure, tell your dentist or healthcare provider that you have a device.
    • Avoid contact sports or other activities that could bump the device.
    • Avoid strong electromagnetic fields that could interfere with the device. Don't linger around anti-theft detection devices at store entrances -- walk through at a normal pace. Stay away from magnetic resonance image (MRI) equipment, arc welders and industrial equipment, and radio transmitters (such as ham radios or antennas used to control toys). Keep your cell phone 6 to 12 inches away from the device. Computers and other small appliances are fine as long as they are grounded and in good working order.
    • At the airport, carry your device ID card and walk through the screening device at a normal pace. If you set off an alarm, show your device ID. Ask them not to search you with the hand-held screening wand, because it contains a strong magnet.
  • QWhat should I do if I had the Mustard or Senning procedure years ago?
    1 Answer
    A
    SCAI
    A answered

    Have your heart thoroughly evaluated by a cardiac team familiar with the complications of these procedures. Essential care of conditions resulting from the Mustard and Senning procedures includes a combination of

    • Cardiac catheterization, in which a specially trained heart doctor called an interventional cardiologist inserts thin, flexible tubes (catheters) into a blood vessel and guides them into the heart to provide channels to work through.
    • Assessment of the heart’s electrical circuits

    This evaluation requires the skills and expertise of an open-heart surgeon, an interventional cardiologist, a heart rhythm specialist (called an electrophysiologist) and a cardiologist who specializes in the treatment of adults with congenital heart defects.

    In preparation for treatment, you may undergo several tests that gather images of the heart and help the doctors to develop a treatment plan. An MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) or CAT (computerized axial tomography) scan will be used to provide a picture of the heart, and an echocardiogram will make a moving picture of your heart at work.

     

  • QIs receiving an implantable loop recorder safe?
    1 Answer
    A
    SecondsCount.org
    A answered
    An implantable loop recorder is a medical device that is placed beneath the skin in the chest to record data about heart events over a long period of time - up to two years. The recorder monitors your heart’s electrical activity and is inserted at the hospital by an electrophysiologist, a physician who specializes in the electrical activity of the heart.
    Receiving an implantable loop recorder is a very safe procedure. Rarely, patients may experience infection at the insertion site. However, an implantable loop recorder, unlike a pacemaker, does not have wires directly into the heart, so it does not present a risk of infection from that standpoint. Please note that you should not undergo a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) test without first speaking with your electrophysiologist.