New device and cardioversion

Thank you all for letting g me be a part of this club.   I have had my PM for 12 years and am getting a Medtronic PM replacement on 8/14.  However, I have been in afib for 3 months and will have a cardioversion prior to the PM implant.  A couple of questions..  What happens if I don't come out of afib with the cardioversion?  Also, what can I expect after the PM replacement  (it is only the device, no lead replacement)?  And, how long will this all take?

3 Comments

replacement device and cardioversion

by Gemita - 2023-08-08 16:05:42

MS Stanley, firstly welcome.  If you don’t come out of atrial fibrillation (AF) after a cardioversion, or don’t stay out of AF, they may try another cardioversion or increase or change your medication or suggest an ablation.  Cardioversion never worked for me unfortunately but it can be successful.  If they intend to implant immediately after a cardioversion and it is not successful in stopping the AF, then I see no reason why they cannot go ahead with the implant.  My doctors gave me IV medication to calm my arrhythmias.

A replacement device only involves opening up the pocket, disconnecting your old device from your leads which will be left in place, followed by connecting a new device to the old leads and then closing the pocket again.   Recovery should not take so long and your restrictions afterwards should be minimal too with mainly wound care required.  

What can you expect?  Up to date technology and lots of new features hopefully, longer lasting battery.

I am not sure how long a replacement device takes to implant, believe not more than about an hour and you should return home the same day.  I am still on my first device.   Good luck for the 14th and come back and tell us all about your experience please

Afib and cardioversion

by AgentX86 - 2023-08-08 16:40:56

I was great for seven years after my first cardioversion. The second, about fifteen minutes, then zero. The did a cardioversion after one of my ablations, too, but that didn't do anything either.  In short, if the cardioversion works, there is a chance, though small, that it will hiold.  OTOH, if it does nothing, it does nothing.

As long as the leads are good a PM replacement is much simpler than the original implant.

AFib in OR

by Daedalus - 2023-08-09 01:10:14

I was on the operating table all prepped and strapped down for my pacemaker implant.  Suddenly went into AFib right there.  They immediately gave me the sleep juice and did a cardioversion with 100 joules of zap.  It stopped the AF and they monitored me for 10 minutes.  After that, they went ahead with the implant and had no further problems. 

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