Type of Surgery
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Last updated: 02/17/2009
Environmental conditions that can affect the functioning of the ICD after installation include:
- strong electromagnetic fields such as those used in arcwelding
- contact sports
- shooting a rifle from the shoulder nearest the...
installation site - cell phones used on that side of the body
- magnetic mattress pads such as those believed to treat arthritis
- some medical tests such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)
Environmental conditions often erroneously thought to affect ICDs include:
- microwave ovens (the waves only affect old, unshielded pacemakers and do not affect ICDs)
- airport security (although metal detector alarms could be set off, so patients should carry a card stating they have an ICD implanted)
- anti-theft devices in stores (although patients should avoid standing near the devices for prolonged periods)
Patients should also be instructed to memorize the manufacturer and make of their ICD. Although manufacturing defects and recalls are rare, they do occur and a patient should be prepared for that possibility.
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Other Information
An implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) is a small battery-powered electrical impulse generator which is implanted in patients who are at risk of sudden cardiac death due to ventricular fibrillation. The device is programmed to detect cardiac arrhythmia and correct it by delivering a jolt of electricity. In current variants, the ability to revert ventricular fibrillation has been extended to include both atrial and ventricular arrhythmias as well as the ability to perform biventricular pacing in patients with congestive heart failure or bradycardia.
The process of implantation of an ICD is similar to implantation of a pacemaker. Similar to pacemakers, these devices typically include electrode wire/s which pass through a vein to the right chambers of the heart, usually being lodged in the apex of the right ventricle. The difference is that pacemakers are more often temporary and generally designed to consistently correct bradycardia, while AICDs are often permanent safeguards against sudden abnormalities.
From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Implantable_cardioverter-defibrillator
Other Information
In 2005, an estimated 6,989,000 inpatient cardiovascular operations and procedures were performed in the United States; 4.1 million were performed on males and 2.9 million were performed on females.
From: American Heart Association
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