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Certain pacemakers have special features, which attempt to maintain normal rhythm. If you have an indication for a pacemaker (slow heart rate) and atrial fibrillation then your doctor may implant a device which may help maintain a normal rhythm.
A pacemaker is a small silver dollar sized device that sends out an electrical impulse down through a special wire that is resting against the heart tissues. This impulse causes the heart muscle to contract and beat in much the same way your own body’s electrical system worked.
The doctor will make a small incision (about 2-3 inches long) in the skin beneath the collarbone. A thin flexible coated wire or “lead” will be passed down through one of the large veins that lead into the heart until it reaches the chamber of the heart that will be paced by the pacemaker.
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Depending on your needs, the doctor may decide to pace the right atrium (upper chamber), right ventricle (bottom chamber) and sometimes the left ventricle. Once the leads have good contact with the heart tissue, the doctor will test the leads to be sure that they are able to pace your heart (cause it to contract or squeeze). After connecting the leads to the pacemaker, the doctor will slide the pacemaker into the pocket he made under the skin. This small incision will heal in about a couple of weeks.
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