In the old days, the devices were implanted left of the belly button with a long cable running under the breast, up near the collar bone, and down into the heart. Now that engineers found ways to make the ICD smaller, they are usually implanted in the left upper chest - eliminating some of the persistent pain that goes with the long cable which can move around.

ICD = Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator. Like a pacemaker, it is a device to correct cardiac arrhythmia. This device usually has a pacing function to overcome slow beats. The cardioversion-defibrillation circuitry provides a short burst of high voltage electricity to disrupt the "fluttering" when a heart races as fast as 300+ beats per minute, and restore a normal (sinus rhythm) heart beat.

DFT stands for defibrillator function test. This is a very simple, safe procedure done under sedation to check the ICD functions correctly. You will be admitted to hospital as a day case and discharged when the effect of the sedation has worn off a couple of hours after the procedure.

That all depends on your condition and your line of work. Many ICD owners still work without a problem. For others the condition that caused the need for the ICD is significant enough that they qualify for social security disability. Some people need to find a different type of work – for example you may no longer be qualified to be a front line police officer, or a steel worker balancing on a girder hundreds of feet above the ground, if you have the potential of getting a 700 volt zap.

Currently, the EVAHEART is not available for use in the United States. Clinical trials began in Japan during May, 2005. The clinical trial in the US is planned for late 2008, and will be as a bridge to transplantation. For both trials, the EVAHEART will only be available through enrollment at certain hospitals. Contact EMUSA for further details.

Intacs. The procedure takes about 20 minutes, but less with the laser. The cornea is marked for the ring position (centered on the iris or pupil, depending on whether it is the Standard or SK model), a 1.2mm incision is made using a triple-edged diamond knife with a guard which limits depth at the implantation site to about 50-75% corneal thickness at the site.

No, although there can be a temporary feeling of ‘stiffness’ associated with nerve damage at insertion. The nerve damage will heal over a period of several weeks.

There are several advantages of an implanted device. Since it is implanted in the body, there are few, if any, external parts to wear and daily maintenance is minimized. In addition, the system is more directly targeted to the effected area. The disadvantage of implanted devices is they do involve a surgery which can lead to a system that is more expensive.

A patient may have a “test” stimulation with a lead implanted under the skin near the tailbone and attached to a portable electrical stimulator that can be worn on a belt for a few days to see how InterStim Therapy affects the symptoms. Boston, Jones and Bartlett, 2003) p.7, 12-14, 35-36, 81, 107, 110, 117, 225; Take Control and Restore Your Lifestyle, End Urinary Incontinence, ©American Medical Systems, Inc. 2005; TUNA® Therapy Enlarged Prostate? What you should know.

The implant of a CRT system requires surgery in a hospital. Through a small incision in your chest, your doctor implants the device under the skin near your collarbone. The device is connected to leads, which are threaded through blood vessels and placed in your heart.

Yes, you can travel with your device and drive a car if cleared by your doctor. You should be sure to always have your identification card with you wherever you go.  Persons with ICDs may not be allowed to drive unless cleared by their physician.

first, you may feel the weight of the device in your chest. However, over time, most people become accustomed to the way it feels. The pacemaker generator is very small, about the size of two silver dollars stacked on top of each other, and weighs about an ounce or less, depending on the make and model of the device. If the ICD sends a shock to the heart or "fires," the person will feel this as a jolt or kick in the chest.

Only if YOU let it become an excuse for not doing things you want to do. The condition you have that requires the implant of the ICD may have a profound impact on your life. But the device itself should be nothing more than a small annoyance when you swing a golf club or tennis racket and demands no attention beyond the routine interrogations. After the surgical wound heals, you can nearly forget about it and go about living life the way you choose.

Yes, you can still have a heart attack. An ICD does not prevent a myocardial infarction, which is a blocked artery causing heart muscle tissue to die. Things like exercise, improved diet, reduced stress, and other lifestyle changes suggested in a cardiac rehab program will reduce chances for a heart attack. The ICD implant will save your life 99% of the time if you have a potentially lethal episode of arrhythmia. (According to current statistics.

Some ICD’s make audible tones for a variety of situations. Some are programmed to do a “self check” every day at a specific time. If there is a problem, broken lead, low battery, etc. it will make a noise. If there is a more immediate problem the device may emit a constant tone. If your device starts making a tone contact the doctor/hospital that monitors your device. They will advise you what to do next.

Actually they cannot change the batteries. The ICD is an intact sealed case. When the batteries run low your implant will be replaced. This is not bad because each generation of ICD is smaller and more sophisticated that the generation before, allowing you to get upgraded hardware. Generally, the replacement is done on an out-patient basis. If the leads are still good, they will open you up, remove the old ICD, and install the new one. Your recovery time will be faster.

Yes, the pellets can be implanted intravenously, intramuscularly, interparatonialy, in the eye, in the brain, in bone marrow, in the mammary gland, in the cervix or uterus and under the kidney capsule.

Implanted devices are surgically placed into the human body. They are medical devices that have been found safe for internal use. There are various implanted devices. For some, the entire system is inside the body whereas others have an external component. Conversely, an external device is a system in which all elements are outside the human body. They typically administer stimulation over the skin.