What is an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator?
What is an Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator?
An ICD is a battery-powered device placed under the skin that keeps track of your heart rate. Thin wires connect the ICD to your heart. If an abnormal heart rhythm is detected the device will deliver an electric shock to restore a normal heartbeat.
A person is a candidate for an ICD if they have a life-threatening arrhythmia without correctable causes, such as the following:
- Acute myocardial infarction (heart attack)
- Myocardial ischemia (inadequate blood flow to the heart muscle)
- Electrolyte imbalance and drug toxicity
How is an ICD implanted?
A battery-powered pulse generator is implanted in a pouch under the skin of the chest, often just below the collarbone, or along your ribs. In infants, it may be placed in the abdomen. The generator is about the size of a pocket watch. Wires or leads run from the pulse generator to positions on the surface of or inside the heart and can be installed through blood vessels, eliminating the need for open-chest surgery.
Reference:
Implantable Cardioverter Defibrillator – American Heart Association