How to Change a Pacemaker Battery

A pacemaker is a device that helps to regulate your heart's beating rhythm. In many instances, doctors implant a pacemaker when you suffer from an arrhythmia (an irregular heart beat). Doctors implant the pacemaker directly under your chest or, sometimes, in your abdomen. The device operates on a battery that sends electrical impulses to shock your heart when the device senses that your heart's beating too fast or too slow. According to the Mayo Clinic, a pacemaker last between five to 10 years, which means you'll need to undergo a procedure to replace your pacemaker's battery.

Instructions

• 1

  Visit your physician after the initial implantation to optimize your battery's function and help maximize the battery's shelf-life. Tell your physician if you suffer from any effects from the pacemaker, such as swelling around the incision site.

• 2

  Undergo transtelephonic monitoring. Over the phone, a technician checks if your battery's suffering from any issues.

• 3

  Replace your pacemaker's battery and generator through surgery. The generator is the seal around the pacemaker's battery. According to Baptist Health, your doctor removes and replaces the faulty generator.

  The surgery requires a minimum one-day hospital stay. Undergoing surgery also requires general anesthesia. Recovery time is shorter than when you received your initial pacemaker.