Pacemaker Implantation

Cardiology

Services & Specialties

Permanent Pacemaker Implantation

A Pacemaker is a small device that sits under your skin and delivers electrical impulses to the heart muscle to coordinate the action of the various parts of the heart (top and bottom chambers, left and right chambers).

There are various types of pacemakers. They are most commonly inserted due to a slow or fast heart rate, but sometimes are used when the pumping action of your heart is weakened.

The procedure is performed in our Cath Lab under local anaesthetic and sedation. A small incision is made in the left side of your chest, just below your collar bone, and the device is implanted under your skin. There will be either one, two or three platinum leads connected to the device that extend down to sit in your heart. The pacemaker device is programmed to settings specific for your needs.

Pacemaker Implantation

Procedures

Once your doctor refers you for a pacemaker implantation, one of our friendly administration staff will contact you to book your procedure and give you all the relevant information.

You will need to be nil by mouth for eight hours prior to your admission to Cardia. You can continue to drink clear fluids. You should continue your regular medication (including on the morning of your procedure) unless we or your cardiologist advise you to stop. If you are taking any diabetes medicines, do NOT take on the day of the procedure. If you are unsure about medications, you are welcome to call or email us, otherwise bring all your medications with you on the morning of the procedure and the nurses can guide you which ones to take.

Cardia is located at 217 Shakespeare Road, Milford. There is plenty of free parking.

Upon arrival to Cardia, you will be greeted by our administrators or one of the nursing staff. Following this, one of the clinical staff will take you through to the admission and recovery area and will set you up in one of the bed spaces, which is where you will stay before and after your procedure. You will be asked to change into a gown and there is bedside storage where you may keep your belongings.
We please ask that if you are unwell on the day of your procedure, you let us know as soon as possible so we can arrange an alternative date for you.

During the admission process, the nurse will ask you some questions about your medical history, check your blood pressure and heart rate, complete an ECG and insert an IV line into your arm. If required, we will also need to shave your chest area where the pacemaker will be implanted. The Cardiologist will then come and sign an electronic consent form with you, and you will have the chance to discuss any concerns or ask any questions you may have.
We are a proudly paper-free facility, so all your documentation will be completed on an iPad.

Once your admission is completed and you have signed your consent form, you will be taken into the lab for your pacemaker implantation.

You are welcome to bring a support person with you, but we kindly ask for no more than two visitors. Your support person is welcome to sit with you before and after your procedure, but due to limited space in our recovery area, we may have to limit this to one person at busy times.

If your visitor or pick up person is wanting to stay close while they are waiting for you, our clinic is located close to shopping centres and cafes, and we are happy to point you in the direction of these.

After your pacemaker implantation, you will come back out into the same recovery space that you were admitted in. Recovery time for a pacemaker implantation is approximately 4-6 hours. If there are any complications, you may be required to stay longer. All procedures done at Cardia are day-stay, so you will be able to go home the same day.

The Cardiac technician that programmes your pacemaker will come back after approximately four hours to check that your pacemaker is functioning correctly and give you some information. If all of these checks are satisfactory, you can usually go home after the checks.

You must have a friend or a family member to pick you up and stay with you the night of the procedure. Please be advised you are not allowed to drive for two weeks following your pacemaker implantation.

We will keep you and your family member or pick up person informed about your recovery process and when you can expect to go home. The clinical staff will make sure you have all the information you need for your discharge, and you are always welcome to ask us any questions during your stay.

After your procedure, you will be offered a warm or cold drink, and morning tea, generally a cheese or date scone depending on your preference. Our food is sourced from local cafes and is fresh on the day. We can also cater for any dietary requirements you may have.

You will be given detailed discharge information by one of the nurses before you leave Cardia. You can access a copy of this information below:

We aim to make your stay at Cardia as relaxed as possible. Please don’t hesitate to ask if there is any way we can assist in making this happen.