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When the heart is out of rhythm and arrhythmias or single skips of the heartbeat lead to fainting, dizziness, and weakness,
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it's time for a pacemaker.
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It works as a supportive impulse generator, sending out light impulses.
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That means it sends stimuli to the heart to stimulate contractions of the heart muscle.
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But what does the process of pacemaker insertion actually look like?
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The insertion usually happens with a local anesthetic.
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General anesthesia can thus be avoided in most cases and the patient is fully conscious.
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A small skin incision is made below the right or left clavicle.
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From there, the pacemaker electrodes are pushed through the subclavian vein and into the heart, where they are anchored with small hooks.
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The electrodes are then connected to the pacemaker and tested for functionality.
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Then the pacemaker is inserted into the subcutaneous tissue where the skin incision is.
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Finally, the small wound then just needs to be sutured.
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The entire surgery takes about 45 to 60 minutes and is a standardized procedure these days.