Cardiac Pacemaker Treatment in India – Heart Surgery Types & Cost

A pacemaker implantation is a procedure that is used to implant an electronic device in the chest to deal with irregular heartbeats, a condition known as arrhythmia. In arrhythmia, there is a fluctuation in the heartbeats due to which the heart is unable to pump an adequate amount of blood to the rest of the body. The sinus node is a muscle in the heart that is the natural pacemaker of the heart.

A study shows that around one million people die every year worldwide, due to lack of access to pacemaker implantation, and a large number of these patients are from Africa. Due to the lack of proper diagnostic tools and infrastructure, there is an urgent need to improve and develop proper diagnostic and treatment approaches in Africa. According to the survey done by PASCAR (an African Society of Cardiology), In about 20 African countries, pacemakers are not implanted as the implanters are very few. Also, the expertise in interpreting electrocardiograms is severely lacking which means that most of the people are not even diagnosed correctly.

Many foreigners visit India for their pacemaker surgery. Most of the Hospitals in India are accredited by JCI and NABH. The cardiac hospitals in India are equipped with the latest and modern diagnostic as well as treatment tools. These hospitals have experienced surgeons with highly cooperative staff. Hence, India provides prime healthcare services at affordable cost.

Depending upon your heart problem, the doctor decides which specific type of pacemaker to implant. There are different types of pacemakers. These are:

• Leadless pacemaker: It is a small pacemaker that is implanted by the use of a catheter. A pacemaker of a large pill size is attached to the inner wall of the heart. It does not use any wires.
• Single chamber pacemaker: This device uses a single wire which is connected to one chamber of the heart.
• Dual chamber pacemaker: This device uses two wires which are connected to the two chambers of the heart.
• Biventricular pacemaker: This device uses three wires, out of which, two wires are connected to the ventricles (lower chambers) of the heart and the third wire is connected to the right atrium (upper chamber) of the heart.

How Does a Pacemaker Work?

A pacemaker installation regulates the entire body’s electrical system, thereby controlling your heart rhythm. As every heartbeat is made, an electrical impulse is transmitted throughout the body, from your heart, sending signals to your heart’s muscles to contract.

A pacemaker insertion is also capable of tracking and recording your heartbeat. A record can help your doctor to analyze your arrhythmia better. Pacemakers may contain one to three wires which are planted in the different chambers of your heart to carry out several functions.

• The wires planted in a single-chamber pacemaker: These wires transmit electrical pulses from the generator to the lower right chamber of your heart.
• The wires present in a dual-chamber pacemaker: These wires transmit the electrical pulses to the upper right chamber of your heart and the right ventricle.
• The wires planted in a biventricular pacemaker: These wires are responsible for transmitting pulses from the generator to an atrium and both ventricles.

Why do I need a Pacemaker Insertion?

Your healthcare provider will decide whether you need a pacemaker or not. Talking about the symptoms to your doctor is the first step to do. Based on that, your doctor will determine if you have a health condition that can be treated with implantable cardiac devices, i.e. the pacemaker. However, you should take your doctor’s consultation if you have the following symptoms:

• Fatigue
• Fainting/lightheadedness
• Shortness of breath
• Damage to vital organs
• Chest pain
• Fast heartbeat (tachycardia)
• Slow heartbeat (Bradycardia)
• Heart palpitations
• Nausea
• Swelling in ankles, legs, and abdomen.

Heart Pacemaker Surgery in India

Depending upon which pacemaker is to be implanted, your doctor will decide which approach to use for the heart pacemaker operation. There are three approaches by which the pacemaker can be implanted. These are:

1. Catheter-based approach:

This approach is used to implant the leadless pacemakers. The doctor will sanitize the area of catheter insertion, i.e. the groin. Then, the doctor inserts a catheter which is a thin and flexible tube into the artery (at the disinfected area). And guides it to reach the heart. Once it reaches the heart the pacemaker is implanted to the wall of the heart. These pacemakers are known as cardiovascular pacemakers.

2. Tranvenous approach:

In this approach, the pacemaker is inserted through the vein. The doctor makes an incision to get access to the vein near the heart near the collarbone. Now, the doctor will insert the wires of the pacemaker and move it towards the heart. An X-ray or a Fluoroscopy will guide the doctor to visualize the position. The doctor will connect the wires to the heart. The other end of the wire will be connected to the pacemaker. This pacemaker/ device will be then placed under the skin of the upper chest. These pacemakers are known as transcutaneous pacemakers.

3. Surgery-based approach:

This is a surgery-based approach where the doctor makes an incision in the chest and inserts the wire of the pacemaker and connects the wire to the heart. The other end of the wire is then connected to the pacemaker. Now. The pacemaker is placed under the skin of the abdomen.

Best Cardiac Pacemaker Installation Doctors in India

1. Dr. T S Kler

2. Dr. Ashok Seth

3. Dr. Naresh Trehan

4. Dr. Kewal Krishan

Cost of Pacemaker Installation in India

Many people from Arabic countries like Iraq, Bahrain, Oman, and Saudi Arabia travel to India seeking the best treatment at minimum cost. Indian cardiologists discuss everything from the diagnosis to treatment and recovery with the patients before performing any procedure. The cardiology clinics keep upgrading with new technology to provide the best treatment. The cardiology hospital in India provides Leadless pacemaker installation and Cardiac conduction system pacemakers for treating arrhythmia. The cost of pacemaker installation in India is more cost-effective than in most countries. The cost of Pacemaker Installation in India is given below.

Pacemaker Surgery Recovery

After successfully implanting the pacemaker, your doctor may discharge you from the hospital, or you might have to stay at the hospital at least for one night. After the pacemaker is implanted, your healthcare staff will monitor your heartbeat to ensure that the device is working properly. On the next day, the doctor will perform an X-ray to visualize that the wires of the pacemaker are in place. Before you leave the hospital, your doctor will check the device once again to ensure that its programming is done correctly.

Homecare after Pacemaker Insertion

Before you are discharged from the hospital, your healthcare provider will discuss with you about the guidelines you should follow at home. The guidelines may include:

• What medicines to take and how to take
• When you should return to normal day-to-day life: Your doctor will recommend you to avoid lifting heavy weights or any other form of heavy exercise for at least a week. Normally people with pacemaker implantation get back to normal daily activities after a few days post-surgery.
• What you should avoid to keep the wires from getting displaced: You may have to be careful by avoiding intense exercises and lifting heavy weights. Your doctor may suggest you not lift your hands above your head as this can sometimes displace the wires.
• Your doctor will inform you about the follow–up appointment: Generally the follow-up appointment is after one month of implanting a pacemaker.

Cardiac Pacemaker Surgery FAQs