What Happens During Pacemaker Surgery?

Individuals who require an internal artificial pacemaker to regulate their heartbeat will need to undergo pacemaker surgery to have the device implanted in the body. The procedure is performed under local anesthetic, though patients are generally hospitalized overnight for careful monitoring. Patients are given a mild sedative to keep them calm and relaxed but are otherwise awake and alert throughout the procedure.

To insert the pacemaker, the surgeon makes a two to three inch incision just below the patient