The purpose of a permanent pacemaker is to treat very slow heart rhythms and heart block. Certain people are at higher risk for having very slow heart rhythms. Other people may have already had signs and symptoms of a "heart block" where the electrical connections in the heart are not functioning properly. And still other people may have suffered from a complete arrest in electrical function of the heart leading to asystole, commonly referred to as a "flat-line." In this case the heart stops beating entirely for several seconds. We will help you determine if you are part of any of these higher risk groups. A permanent pacemaker is a small computer that is placed under the skin or muscle on the upper part of the chest near the shoulder. Wires are placed in the heart and attached to the computer so that it can monitor the heart rhythm. If the pacemaker detects that the heart beat is too slow or if there is "heart block", it will send a signal to the electrical system of the heart to ensure a continuous heart beat.

A pacemaker procedure is considered minimally invasive and is not open heart surgery. In most cases you will be discharged home safely the morning after the procedure.