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Defibrillators that are permanently inserted (implanted) abdominally, pectorally, or subcutaneously. Pectoral and abdominally implanted defibrillators are connected to the patient\'s heart through a set of epicardial or transvenous leads. These defibrillators consist of a hermetically sealed container, including a lightweight battery, electronic circuitry to sense cardiac activity and produce the electrical pulses (shocks), and electrode leads that conduct the myocardial signals to the defibrillator and the electrical defibrillating pulses to the patient, when needed. Implantable defibrillators are used to sense ventricular fibrillation and initiate defibrillation by applying an electric shock to the heart to depolarize the myocardium. Some of these stimulators have memory modules for storage and retrieval of the cardiac electrical activity, and some have programmable capabilities. Subcutaneous implanted defibrillators that are connected to leads and electrodes anchored under the skin above but not touching the heart are also available. Implantable defibrillators are used as life saving devices mainly for tachycardia, ventricular fibrillation, and cardiac arrest.
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Defibrillators/cardioverters that are permanently inserted (implanted) abdominally, pectorally, or subcutaneously. Pectoral and abdominally implanted devices are connected to the patient\'s heart through a set of epicardial or transvenous leads. These defibrillators/cardioverters consist of a hermetically sealed container, including a lightweight battery, electronic circuitry to sense cardiac activity and produce the electrical pulses (shocks), and electrode leads that conduct the myocardial signals to the defibrillator and the electrical defibrillating pulses to the patient when needed. Implantable defibrillators/cardioverters are intended to:(1) restore normal rhythm and contractile function in patients who are experiencing ventricular fibrillation or ventricular tachycardia that is not accompanied by a palpable pulse (i.e., defibrillation) or (2) correct noncritical dysrhythmias (e.g., to supraventricular tachycardia, ventricular reentrant tachycardia, atrial flutter and atrial fibrillation) by applying relatively low-level stimuli shocks synchronized to the patient\'s ECG (i.e., cardioversion). Subcutaneous implanted defibrillator/cardioverters that are connected to leads and electrodes anchored under the skin above but not touching the heart are also available.
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