Battery longevity and replacements for Pacemakers, ICDs and CRT devices.
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- čas přidán 24. 07. 2024
- Learn about your implanted device’s battery life, what factors contribute to battery depletion, and what getting a replacement device is like.
****Please note, I’m not a medical professional giving medical advice, I’m just some guy on the internet. Please speak with your healthcare team if you have questions about your device’s battery life and the device replacement procedure.
Hi Doug, I just wanted to thank you. I am a 29 year old who just received his pacemaker after a sudden cardiac death a week ago, and I was very scared and insecure. Since I am a physician myself my mind was racing computing everything that could go wrong, plus I was reading up on all the complication risks and studies on them. Thanks to your clear and concise explanations I now understand the mechanisms behind my device and feel liberated. It's a shame the information I got at the hospital was so scarce. Thank you again.
Thank you for your note! I really appreciate it. And I’m glad to hear my videos were helpful to you.
Excellent video! I'm scheduled for my replacement in 3 weeks. Everything you said was to a T, what the MD and tech explained to me. You put it all in one great 5-minute video! Thanks
Thank you! And good luck in a few weeks. You’ll be back to life in no time!
@@DouglasRachac LOLOL Much appreciated!
Thank you for the information, my uncle hes 88 years old he has a Boston Scientific ICD n last time when he went to a regular check up he was told that he has about six months on rhe battery and the next appointment its in three months, but my uncle is so worried about the procedure but waching your video I'm less worried and ill make sure the whole family watch your video so we can be less worried and stressed.
Thank you again
This was exactly the video I needed. My girlfriend has her surgery in a couple days. Good to know this won’t slow her down.
I have learned more and gained more confidence from your videos than I have from my very busy Ep, nurses and what feels like the entire rest of the internet. Thank you!! Please keep making them.
I have seen all your videos and it's really inspiring. Getting to know that there are others Who can relate to my problems is a huge relief. I've had a tough time. HCM,repeated NSVTs, repeated ECHO'S, MRI, then the procedure ,the financial burden,
I still get nsvt s occasionally, makes me anxious and depressed at the same time. Its very tough to adjust the fact that your life is dependent on this machine. And the thing is no one else understands our problems the psychological trauma, not even doctors. I hope I'll get over it one day.
I thank you for your informative videos ,hope you're doing well
Another greatly informative video. Thanks for posting. I had mine replaced this last July. The first time it went off for the battery was at 8:25 am and I thought it was an ambulance coming down the street. Scared the fool out of me. Then every morning at 8:25 am it would sound the alarm. Doc finally stopped the alarm. I was down to a month before my replacement was implanted. I was getting a bit nervous. Great doc, nice easy surgery. Nothing but a cake walk. Stay safe.
Another superb and reassuring video Doug. Many thanks as always and best wishes from Northern Ireland.
Thanks for another great informative video. The more I know about my pm, the better I feel about it.
Thanks for the video! It is good to learn that the swap out should be easier than the upgraded ICD procedure.
The largest factor is battery capacity. How big the tank is.
A 1 amp hr battery has less stored energy than a 2 amp hr battery. In addition, a device can not use up 100% of that stored energy.
Some manufactures quote total battery amp hrs and others quote usable amp hrs. Usable amp hrs is going to be the most accurate.
Very accurate well explained content.
Thanks for the information im 4 years now with my pacemaker,, I hope stays long time 😍
Great video as always. The batteries in the new model pacemakers on the market truly are something to marvel at. I had my Medtronic pacemaker (W3DR01) implanted last June and at last clinic visit was told 14 years of battery life remaining. Mycarelink gives roughly the same estimate. It's nice to think that barring any mishaps, I won't need to worry about replacement for the next decade.
I share all your videos on Facebook groups so that everyone can benefit. Thank you from the heart, my friend, for this wonderful valuable information.
Great timing, Doug. I just had my annual pacing check on my 4th ICD which was implanted in 2015. My techie lady told me I had ANOTHER 10 years of battery life remaining. I was astonished, to say the least. No shocks or pacing since implantation. Good to know. Thanks.
Hi sir hope u fine and have good time with ur family
you implanted 4th icd device?
i have implanted 2 and the sec is near to expire but really i scare and which medicines u r taking
waiting for ur response
Waheed Afghan, I am on a beta blocker and a blood thinner; they deal with my arrhythmia and artificial mitral valve.
I had mine in 2015 too. I am planning for a 10 year or 2025 battery change
Wow very impressive. Wishing you all the best, Sir! I am just getting ready for my third one.. :)
Thanks for the valuable info so well presented.
Getting the device tomorrow after 7 years of rhythm control problems after numerous trips to ER, CCU, many cardio-versions and cardiac ablations. Thank you so much for your simple explanations. This eases my mind so much.
Oh, I so happy to hear that. Thank you for your kind words. I’m sure everything will go smoothly tomorrow. Good luck, and let me know if you have any questions. I’m happy to answer what I can.
Thank you so much for this! I just recently received a Boston Scientific pace maker for Bradycardia and 3rd degeee heartblock. This was done 3 days ago. My bottom is being paced 96% and top 26%. They told me that I have 11 years left on this pacemaker. I am still very scared. I am 43 years old and very active. I’m scared to exercise when I am able to again. I have been watching videos on exercising and pacemakers. The pacemaker community has been so welcoming! Videos like yours give me insight on how individuals with a pacemaker lead full, normal lives. Thank you!
Welcome to the club of cyborgs! It's not bad at all, once you learn a little more about your new little buddy. After you heal up you should be able to return to all of your pre-implant activities. Good luck!
This is great! Thanks a lot Mr. Rachac, noone ever has explained me how this "battery alert" works... Last two times when they said "It's time" they actaully gave me like a month of sleepless nitghts (till I got to my scheduled "exchange")... Every night I was wondering if I wake up next morning..
Good info! I’m on my third ICD in 22 years. I received seven shocks from the first one (not fun at all), and the generator lasted about seven years. The next one had no shocks, and lasted about ten years. The third one (they get better all the time, and don’t deliver unnecessary shocks) seems to be chugging along nicely. I was even awake for the surgery, talking and laughing with the doctors and nurses! Unfortunately, I needed an ablation shortly after that, and I was NOT awake, talking, or laughing. It was pretty rough.
Liked the information very much!
TQ doctor...iam from India...once again thanks for your clarification to the normal people...🙏
Thanks so much, my doctor said its 3 years more stay my pacemaker 😊
Exellent video and information thank you
Very helpful, thanks!
Great video, spot on info. Had my ICD replaced last week after 11 years...not bad eh. Hoping for another 11yrs or more 👍🏾😎 (UK)
Hi hope you fine and have good time i have implanted an ICD device 8 years ago in Emirates in 8 years i got just three shoks now the battery life is 2.65 need to be replaced?
and you mentioned that you have changed the battery how long the surgery procedure toke and which medicene you are taking? thanks waiting for ur response
@@waheedafghan3706 by the way it is not the battery that is replaced, but the whole device is changed for a new one.
The surgery for my replacement took less than an hour. All the best.
@@waheedafghan3706 بالشفاء التام اخي الغالي وانا ايضا لدي Icd تقريبا منذ اربع أشهر
@@mohammadfadliehtji8945 Hope u fine where did u installed the icd and which medication u r taking how long ur surgery toke?
Thank u
Thank you!
Thank God I have a defibrillator and I feel better thanks to its technology that has helped people improve their lives
Great video! However, that being said, it might have been a good idea to have touched (or make another video) on lead extraction, as leads will eventually need to be replaced. I recently had my pacemaker replaced with an ICD, and this is something I had to go through.
Obviously It’s a little more complex than your normal implantation surgery, but it’s something people should be aware of as well 🙃
Thanks Justin. Lead extractions are a complicated topic, but a good one to cover. I’ll do some research, so stay tuned!
I just had my first leads replaced after 17 years this June. I had 2 different complications, 4 days in the hospital and a revision surgery. It was not fun but I’m glad to be fully recovered and everything seems to have healed well. I’m hoping that by the time these leads have come to the end of their life span a leadless dual chamber pacemaker will be available. Fingers crossed! Great video, I had no idea activity level impacts battery life but it makes since!
Hi Doug . I have a question about if I get choked by n electric fens wire does it affect my device from doing it s job ? I excedently got a chock yesterday I didn't know the fence sparked
Hi Thanks for the great explanation I have to ask you how is the replacement happened when you are 100 present pace?
A very good question! Your doctors and nurses will be monitoring you very closely during the surgery. They can connect you to an external pacemaker during the surgery if they feel you need the pacing support. Even without that external pacemaker, you will only be disconnected from your implant for 20-30 seconds at most while they switch from the old device to the new one. So, you will have pacing support to keep your heart beating safely.
Hi Doug - your information has been invaluable to my brother, Doug who got an ICD last year. I have a question- can he wear a lead apron to perform arc welding? The kind we use at the hospital for xrays? The Medtronic website says "Aprons or vests will not effectively shield your pacemaker or implantable defibrillator from the electromagnetic energy generated by welding equipment." Can you confirm? Thank you so very much for doing this channel!
Hi Heather, thanks for watching, and I’m glad to hear my videos have been helpful to you and your brother (who has a great first name!). From what I know, and remember I’m just “some guy on the internet”, lead aprons do not provide much protection from EMI. But, there are recommendations for welding safely published by Medtronic and Boston Scientific. The recommendations are virtually identical, but you can find Medtronic’s recommendations here: www.medtronic.com/us-en/patients/electromagnetic-guide/frequently-asked-questions.html I also talk about EMI, and mention welding in particular, in another video that you can find here:
czcams.com/video/9_dl8ANjdx8/video.html
I hope this info is helpful.
Hi Doug,my name is Rohit ,I got my icd 2 months back(Boston scientific, INOGEN) and I'm currently on bisoprolol and amiodarone. Can i ask you a few questions if you don't mind? 🙂
The last few pacemaker replacements have been rough on me. My pacemaker site puffs up and turns black and blue. This time even my arm was black and blue to my elbow. I did wake up in the middle of the night with blood on my night gown. It opened twice more. Is anyone else having trouble with theirs. The surgeon and the Cardiologist just wanted to keep an eye on it.
My mother is 93 and having a replacement in 2 weeks. She’s on eliquis (blood thinner) and will need to be off that a few days before. Has anyone here had experience with going back on blood thinners after the surgery? When she first had her pacemaker inserted, she was bruised dark purple from her chest to her waist and in a lot of pain. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.
Can I use a magnetic resistance rowing machine with my pacemaker?
Hi Luis, yes you can, as long as you aren’t hugging the machine while using it. ;-) Magnetic strength dissipates quickly, so as long as you keep magnets 6+ inches (15+cm) away from your device you will be fine.
I appreciate all the videos you have made Doug. They've been a great help to me. I have a question. Is there a hand held meter that I could use to detect EMF that could set off my defibrillator? I'm planning on returning to work, which is an industrial setting.
Hi Rydyr, thanks for watching! I am not sure if there is a meter that measures EMI. I know there’s one that measures magnetic strength, but I’m not sure about EMI. Sorry…
@@DouglasRachac Thanks for the speedy reply.
Would love a video on loop recorder implants and mammograms on patients with breast implants.
Hi there, thanks for watching! I do have a video on loop recorders (czcams.com/video/A3YbsfXtz_I/video.html ) but I don’t mention mammograms or breast implants. You can get a mammogram with a loop recorder. There may be some discomfort around the ILR, but they are designed to be safe in the scanning environment.
As for an ILR in combination with breast implants… this is also safe, but some extra care needs to be taken to prevent an accidental rupture of the breast implant. It’s not common at all, but has happened at least once: www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6051130/
I hope this helps.
On a Medtronic pacemaker the French police noise went off in January of 2023 battery needs replacement. It's almost August, how much longer could the battery last ?
I know, depends upon usage. But patient won't replace battery. Any guessing about how long ? Days, weeks, or months ? Is there any different alarms right before it stops ?
Thanks ❤💔⏳⌛⏲.
Hi Salty old cracker (love the name). Yes, there is a second alarm that will sound when your device hits the next level of battery depletion. This means you have roughly 3 months of battery life left. It’s still not empty at this point, but will need to be replaced in 2-4 weeks. You would hear that alarm every day at the same time, so your sure to hear it.
If you are monitored remotely, no worries, your doctor is watching. If not it might not be a bad idea to call the clinic and check in. 8 months isn’t unheard of between the first alarm and the second, but it is a very long time. It wouldn’t hurt to check in.
@@DouglasRachacThanks for responding. He is about 7 months from first alarm, every day at 8:57 am there's a French police siren. I guess all we can do is wait until no siren at 8:57 and see what happens 😂. I'll keep you informed. Did you work at Medtronic in Memphis ?
@@MacGyver2154 his doctor can turn off the daily alarm during a visit to the clinic. Then when the alarm sounds again you'll know it's hit the second, more urgent alarm. In fact, with the first alarm occuring in January and it now being August (7 months later), I think it would be a good idea to call the clinic and ask when was the last time they received data from the device, and if its now time to schedule a replacement. That first alarm is typically seen as a "6-months of battery life left" alarm. Better safe than sorry, if you ask me.
I did not work at the Memphis campus. I spent nearly my entire 14 years at Medtronic in Minnesota at various locations. I also spent a little over a year at a Medtronic division in Seattle.
my friend says his insurance will not cover another surgery and his battery is dead. is that possible. he is in emergency right now with AFIB.
Implanted devices like pacemakers and defibrillators are typically covered by insurance. Some policies have deductible payments that need to be met before the remaining cost of a surgery will be covered. And some surgeries, while covered, will require prior approval/authorization from the insurance company. It’s best to work through these issues with the insurance company. I hope your friend is able to straighten this out soon.
How many times one can undergo replacement of his pacemaker battery?
There’s really no limit. There are people out there who have had pacemakers for 30, 35, 40 years and more. Those people have probably had leads removed and replaced, but that’s possible and much safer today that it was even 10 years ago.
Hi, Sir.How r you?
My question is i have replaced pacce maker double chambers 7-years ago.By the grace of God still have no problems without regular check up.
how can i knows that batteries longevity.
and if need battery replace..there is possibility to replace only battery or whole instrument replace ??
this type of operations any high risk?
thanking you.
looking forwards & best regards.
Hello Mohammad, thanks for watching. The best way to know if your battery is running low is to have the device checked by your doctor’s office. They will be able to tell you how much battery life remains on your device. Without that knowledge the only way to know if the battery is running low on a pacemaker is when you start to experience the symptoms you used to have before you received your pacemaker. That would be the first sign that your battery is running low.
The parts of the device are sealed in a titanium shell, so there is no way to replace just the battery. The entire unit is switched out during a replacement surgery. The surgery to replace a pacemaker is very common and no more risky than any other typical surgery. I hope that information helps.
@@DouglasRachac
So many Thanks
for ur replays.
How are you my friend for a while we haven't heard anything about you I hope you are fine
Thank you. My ICD sucks (I guess I am confused about the whole situation of having a device in my body)
Sorry Traylor. I hope things improve for you.
@@DouglasRachac well I’m thankful to have it but this Entresto has done damage I’ve never imagined
@@DouglasRachac my defibrillator is on the recall list but doctors don’t say anything
@@traylorpark4life962 what you mean what kind damage the ice did? Jus wondering
Icd*
Technology changes everyday. If you have a pacemaker that does not allow you to have an MRI, you may be able to get it upgraded when your next replacement is scheduled. Ask!!!
You may not even have to ask. I believe all new pacemakers and defibrillators are MRI safe. They’re getting better and better every day.
I know I'm hard on battery for sure. I'm paced 100% of time and 70% v paced. So it eats it up. They do have it set to demand pace. Shocks just are awful I hate them even I know it saves my life. I have a abott crt-d now and it uses my phone to send data to my doctor. It has come a long ways. I can even send a report of my device to my doctor. The more devices u get put in the more it hurts in my book. The first was next no pain this one took about 2 weeks. I was worried. They want to put Lvad if they can get vfib under control.
Now are you ok?
are you from minnesota?
Hi J- Yes, born and raised (mostly) in Minnesota.
@@DouglasRachac I would like to talk to you some time. I had my first cardiac arrest at 34 years old. I have a Medtronic device implanted. I live in Rockford, MN. I would really like to thank you VIA phone.
Well, howdy neighbor! I live in a suburb just north of Minneapolis. I’d be happy to talk. Reach out to me via Messenger and we’ll see if we can connect over the phone.
👏👏👌👌👍👍🤝🤝🙏🙏
I am on ERI 😢
You should be getting a new device soon! Good luck!!
Does the battery replacement cost similar to surgery sir?
Or little lesser
It depends on what they are doing. If they are only replacing the device/battery it is will cost a little less than a full implant, which would include the implanting of leads. However, the device is the most costly component of the implanted system. It accounts for a large majority of the costs.
Do you work for Medtronic?
I used to. I left in 2015 after spending 14 years there. So, while I am sharing the knowledge I gained there, I don’t speak for Medtronic in any way. I hope my videos have been helpful.
@@DouglasRachac very helpful! I appreciate all your hard work!
@@DouglasRachac
Dear sir Hope u fine my icd life is 2.63 When it need to be replaced?
thank u waiting for ur response
Hello Waheed, I think you may be talking about the battery voltage remaining in your device. Each device is different, and they trip the Elective Replacement Indicator at different voltage levels. So, you could be anywhere from 1-to-18 months away from needing a replacement. Your doctor or device tech would be able to give you a better estimate of time remaining in your device. Once the Elective Replacement Indicator (ERI) is reached you'll have between 3-and-6 months of battery life left, which is plenty of time to get in for a replacement.
@@DouglasRachac thnk u for ur usefull information sir i appreciated
lol, medtronics crt- 4 years
My aunts pacemaker battery was dead because of that aunts died pacemaker impalnt 2012 dead 14 sep. 2022
I think your not being in the medical field and sharing this information is irresponsible.
Hi John, I can certainly appreciate your opinion. But I also know that finding knowledge like this is difficult. I clearly state in every video that I am not a medical professional giving medical advice. My goal is to provide a little education so a person can ask intelligent questions when they see their doctor. And hopefully in the process I can make this world of living with an implanted device a little less scary. I’m sorry if I didn’t achieve those goals with you. Maybe another video of mine will give some useful info.