Award-Winning Pacemaker Surgery in Las Vegas, 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. Dignity Health - St. Rose Dominican has been a Healthgrades five-star recipient for pacemaker procedures.
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
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 provides pacemaker surgery in Las Vegas and Henderson, NV.