English
Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy CRT and CRTD implantation

Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy CRT and CRTD Implantation

Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy CRT and CRTD implantation, Dhakuria

A treatment called Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) is used to treat the symptoms of cardiac heart failure. With CRT, the heart is made to function more effectively by inserting a device into the chest. The device used in Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy is known as a biventricular pacemaker (Cardiac Resynchronization Device, CRTD). It sends electrical signals to the lower chambers (ventricles) of the heart, which results in improving the pumping action of the heart. Sometimes, a biventricular pacemaker is also combined with an Implantable Cardiac Defibrillator (ICD) when heart muscle damage leads to fast heart rhythms. ICD delivers an electrical shock to reset the heartbeat if the heart rhythm becomes severely irregular.

FAQ's

Your doctor might recommend Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) if you experience heart failure symptoms ranging from mild to severe, your heart's ventricles are not functioning synchronously, you have a weak and enlarged heart, and lifestyle changes and medications are not effectively controlling your heart failure.

Before CRT, you can expect a meeting session with the doctor where your medical history will be discussed. It's important to inform the doctor about any existing disorders or medications you're taking, as well as any known allergies. Additionally, you will be instructed not to consume any food the night before the surgery and to avoid certain medications, such as blood thinners, that could interfere with the procedure.

CRT is a minor surgical procedure. During the procedure, you will be given a sedative agent to relax. You will be awake and can expect the following:

  • You will lie down flat on an X-ray table.
  • You will have an intravenous (IV) line inserted into your arm or hand. Via this line, your medical team will administer fluids, antibiotics, and painkillers to you.
  • You will be continuously monitored for your heartbeat, blood pressure, and oxygen.
  • The area for the device insertion near the collarbone will be numbed.
  • Your doctor will cut (incision) and create a pocket under the skin of your chest. The computer battery pack and cables for the CRT will be stored in this pocket.
  • IV lines will be inserted by your doctor into the main vein that supplies your heart. The CRT wires (leads) will be inserted into your vein and fed into your heart by him or her. To ensure the leads are positioned correctly on both sides of your heart, special X-rays will be taken.
  • Your doctor will test the leads with an electric pulse. It may feel as if your heart is racing.
  • If the leads are in the right place and working as they should, they will be attached to the CRT pacemaker. Your doctor will put the pacemaker through the incision and under your skin.
  • Your doctor will then close the incision with sutures or staples and apply a dressing.

Following are the factors that indicate the use of CRT with pacemakers and CRT with pacemakers and ICD:

  • Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy with a Pacemaker (CRT-P): Generally, a pacemaker is used for Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy when the symptoms of heart failure are mild to moderate. This device has three leads that connect the pacemaker to the right upper chamber of the heart (right atria) and both lower chambers (ventricles).

  • CRT with a pacemaker and an ICD: This device is used for people with severe heart failure who have a risk of cardiac death. It can detect poor heart rhythms and deliver an electric shock that is more efficient than a pacemaker. This shock can reset the heartbeat.

After CRT, you will be taken to the recovery area to rest for some time. You can expect a one- or two-day stay in the hospital, where you will be monitored. After you go home, you need to follow some protocols mentioned below:

  • You need to keep the dressing clean and dry until your healthcare provider tells you to remove the dressing and take a shower.
  • After seven to ten days, you might need to have the stitches taken out.
  • You will be asked not to lift your arm where the device is inserted because it can result in lead dislodgement and lead relocation.
  • You should not drive for a while after the device implantation.
  • If you have a fever, redness, soreness, discharge, bleeding, or swelling on the site of the incision, contact your doctor.

Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy (CRT) is recommended for heart failure patients. However, it may not be effective for individuals with mild heart failure symptoms, synchronized heart chambers, chronic heart disease with a life expectancy of less than one year, acute heart failure, active infection (sepsis), or coagulopathy (a bleeding disorder impairing the blood's ability to form clots).

The battery of CRT devices can last for around 7–8 years. After this duration, there is a need for replacement of the battery. A new battery is attached to the existing leads.

Like all medical procedures, CRT carries some risks, which depend on the type of device being inserted and your overall health. These risks may include infection, bleeding, pneumothorax (collapsed lung), and fluid buildup in the sac surrounding the heart leading to heart compression (cardiac tamponade).

Home Dhakuria Specialities Cardiology Cardiac-resynchronization-therapy-crt-and-crtd-implantation

Appointment
Health Check
Contact Us
review icon
Review Us
Call Us