battery relacement worries

Hi members,
I am an old hand with a Biotronic DDR PM now 8 full years intact without any problems throughou the entire period.
I was told at my periodical chech up yesterday that the battery has reached ERI and that I should consider replacement within a few weeks.
As this is the first time that I am yo undergo this procedure I am bit concerned as to what I am facing up to. Will this need hospitalization, how long will the exchange take and how is it done
are there any complications and will the new device be the same or require adjustment. I was very happy with the old one and did not feel anything inthe duration I had it implanted.
I am 84 year old male and in relatively good health, but am a bit worried over this and any advice will be very welcome
Thanks friends

David

3 Comments

Easy!

by Tracey_E - 2013-03-12 09:03:20

Replacements are super easy! It's done outpatient. It can be done with just a local. They get the new one programmed and ready to go, open up the same place as last time, the old one comes out, the new one is attached, they test it to make sure the leads are good and everything is working ok, then close you back up. I've had 4 now. If I get an early appointment, I'm home fixing my own lunch.

ERI generally lasts 3 months. The next step is EOL (end of life) which has limited function, so it's best to do it while it's ERI. EOL will keep you safe, but if you pace a lot you won't feel good because it paces at a steady amount (usually 60 bpm).

They should program the new one to the same settings as the old one. Confirm this with them, but it's pretty standard to start with what works now.

PM Replacement

by SMITTY - 2013-03-12 12:03:21

Hello David,

I got my first PM in 2000 and the 2nd one in 2009. Both were done in the same hospital but by different Drs. Both surgeries were almost identical. So to give you some idea of what you are facing the following is pretty much a step by step description of my PM replacemenmt. As Tracey said it was not painful and I went home about 2 hours after the procedure was completed.

On arrival at the hospital (about 7 AM) I was given a some of the hospitals latest fashions to put on and told to lie down and get comfortable as it would be a little while before the surgery. I read the paper and watched TV for a couple of hours while other PM patients were also being readied for their PM . After about an hour I got an IV and spent the next 3 or 4 hours being "prepped" which consisted mainly of getting about a quart (at least it looked like that amount) of antibiotic through the IV and the surgery area cleaned and cleaned real good.

About noon the doctor showed up and examined the area for the implant. After another hour or so I was wheeled off to the surgery area where I spent another 30 or 40 minutes being "dressed or draped" for the surgery. Sometime after I got in the surgery area I received some medication to make me relax so they said, but what it did was make take a nap in about a half-sleep mode. I vaguely remember being told they were injecting a local anesthetic into the area where the surgery would be performed so I would not feel the anything.

About 45 minutes later I was told, "okay Mr. Smith, we are through and your pacemaker is working just fine." I was wheeled back into a room where I had to wait for awhile to be sure I had no adverse reactions to any of the meds I had received. About 5 PM I was told I could go home.

I was not unexpectedly sore and my healing was no problem. I did have restricted use of my arm for a few days, the main thing being not to raise my elbow above my shoulder, or lift more than a few lbs. Each of us is different, therefore get slightly different instructions) with the arm on the side of the PM. I was n lot allowed to drive for about 24 hours and then for short distances for a week or so. All in all the pain is less than most dental surgery I have had, and since I was retired even with the first one, it did not interfere with any activates.

Good Luck,

Smitty

No problem

by ElectricFrank - 2013-03-13 03:03:07

Actually there is no reason for a restriction on arm movement or lifting since the same leads are used. Just handle it like any incision that may be sore for a few days.

TraceyE described it well. I agree that the pacer should be replaced with the same make and equivalent model. Then the exact same settings should be programmed into it. I suggest getting a copy of the interrogation that will likely be done on the old one before removing it. Then get the same on the new one. That way you have a record of whether changes were made.

I was 80 yrs when I had my replacement. I had an agreement that the settings would be exactly the same as the previous. However, without the Medtronic rep even knowing about it the programming computer decided that my Upper Pacing Limit should be lowered based on my age. I caught it from my printouts and scheduled a session to reset it correctly.

frank

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