Award-Winning Pacemaker Surgery in Las Vegas and Henderson, NV

Pacemaker surgery is used to treat irregular heartbeats or arrhythmias. It is performed by a cardiovascular surgeon implanting a pacemaker into your chest or abdomen, using electrical pulses to help your heart beat normally. 

There also might be emergency situations (such as right after a heart attack) in which a doctor would use a temporary pacemaker that remains outside the body and doesn’t require surgery. 

Find a cardiologist or cardiovascular surgeon online to learn more about the benefits of our exceptional pacemaker surgery in Las Vegas and Henderson, NV.

 

Why We Perform Pacemaker Surgery

Doctors perform pacemaker surgery to restore a normal heart rhythm. The most common reasons pacemakers are used are bradycardia (a slower-than-normal heartbeat) and heart block (a blockage in your heart’s electrical pathway). Other reasons for pacemaker surgery include:

  • Heart birth defects
  • Heart failure
  • Alternating fast and slow heartbeats
  • Skipped heartbeats
  • Heart transplant

 

What to Expect

Pacemaker surgery takes a few hours and will require you to stay overnight in the hospital so your care team can ensure your pacemaker is working correctly.

An experienced cardiovascular surgeon at Dignity Health - St. Rose Dominican will perform your surgery in one of our hospitals. Pacemakers have two main parts: wires connected to electrodes on your heart and a small internal pulse generator. Your surgeon will use X-ray guidance to thread the wires through a vein to your heart and connect them. For most adults, the pulse generator is implanted within the chest wall.

 

Pacemaker Surgery Recovery at Dignity Health - St. Rose Dominican Hospitals

Rest will be important after your pacemaker surgery. You will likely be able to return to work and normal activities within a few days. You will need to avoid strenuous activities and heavy lifting for about a month.

After an initial follow-up visit, most pacemakers have remote technology, which means your doctor can manage the pacemaker using cellphone or radio frequency. Pacemakers rely on long-life batteries that often last up to 10 years. When you need a replacement, it will be an outpatient procedure. 

It’s unlikely that electrical devices will interfere with your pacemaker, but you should be careful around:

  • Power-generating equipment: Stay at least two feet away from electrical generators, industrial welders, and high-voltage transformers.
  • Medical equipment: Procedures including MRI, shock-wave lithotripsy, therapeutic radiation, and electrocautery can interfere with your pacemaker.
  • Cell phones: Talking is okay, but don’t put the cell phone directly to your chest.
  • Metal detectors: Your pacemaker may set off the alarm. Ask security guards for alternative forms of personal search.

Tell all your health care providers about your pacemaker and carry a medical ID card or wear a bracelet to let others know that you have a pacemaker. 

Dignity Health - St. Rose Dominican hospitals provides pacemaker surgery in Las Vegas and Henderson, NV.