What is a temporary pacemaker?

A temporary pacemaker, also called a pulse generator, is an electrical device that helps to control your heart rhythm. It sends electrical signals to your heart through wires and sensors.

A temporary pacemaker is most often used in an emergency or during surgery to control your heart rhythm. This type of pacemaker is used only until your heart rhythm comes back to normal or until a permanent pacemaker is implanted.

What are the different types of temporary pacemakers?

There are two types of temporary pacemakers.

• Transcutaneous pacemaker. This is a programmed device that sends electrical signals to your heart through patches on your skin at a rate that is set by your health care provider. This device is similar to an electrocardiogram (ECG) monitor.
• Transvenous pacemaker. This device sends electrical signals to your heart through a wire that is put into a vein.

What is the procedure to get a temporary pacemaker?

If you are getting a transcutaneous pacemaker, this is what may happen:

• An IV tube will be inserted into one of your veins. Through this tube, you will receive medicine, including:
  • A medicine to help you relax (sedative).
  • A medicine to block pain (analgesic).
• Patches will be put on your chest near your heart. Another patch may be put on your back.
• Wires will be attached to the patches and the pacemaker.
• A health care provider will program the pacemaker to send the electrical signals to your heart.

If you are getting a transvenous pacemaker, this is what may happen:

• You will be hooked up to an ECG monitor.
• An IV tube may be inserted into one of your veins. You may receive a sedative through this tube.
• A medicine to numb the area (local anesthetic) will be injected into your neck, groin, or the area just below your collarbone.
• A long, thin tube (central venous catheter) will be put into a vein in that area.
• The pacemaker wire will be put through the catheter, attached to the device, and advanced into your heart.
• A health care provider will program the pacemaker to send the electrical signals through the wire to your heart.
• You will have a chest X-ray to make sure the tip of the catheter is in the right place in your heart.

Why is a temporary pacemaker needed?

You may need a temporary pacemaker if you have a slow or fast heart rhythm that does not respond to medical treatment. Heart rhythm problems can make you feel faint, dizzy, and short of breath. Heart rhythm problems are common after a heart attack or heart surgery. They also can develop after a person takes certain drugs. In most cases, a temporary pacemaker is only needed for a short time or it can be used to support your heart rhythm until a permanent pacemaker can be placed.

What are the risks of using a temporary pacemaker?

If you have a transcutaneous pacemaker, risks include:

• Side effects from the sedative or the analgesic.
• Skin irritation.
• Pain.
• An abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia).
• The device not pacing your heart rate correctly.

If you have a transvenous pacemaker, risks include:

• Infection.
• Bleeding.
• Damage to your vein or heart.
• Collapsed lung.
• Blood clot or air bubble that travels to your lung.
• The device not pacing your heart rate correctly.
• An abnormal heartbeat (arrhythmia).
• Damage to your heart (myocardial perforation) during insertion.

What can I expect if I have a temporary pacemaker?

If you have a transcutaneous pacemaker, you may feel discomfort with the pacemaker shocks. If you have a transvenous pacemaker, you may feel some soreness in the location where the catheter is inserted. Your activity may be limited while the temporary pacemaker is in place.

You will stay in the hospital while you have a temporary pacemaker. Your health care providers will check you often to make sure your heart rhythm responds to your pacemaker. If your heart cannot beat at a normal rhythm without a temporary pacemaker, you will need a permanent pacemaker.

What problems should I watch for?

You should let your health care providers know if you have:

• Chest pain.
• Shortness of breath.
• Dizziness.
• A feeling like your heart is fluttering or skipping beats (heart palpitations).
• Pain that is not controlled with medicine.
• A fever.
• Swelling or bleeding around the entry site or the entry site starts to open up, if you have a transvenous pacemaker.