We wish you a quick recovery. Please read follow the instructions in this handout and let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Traveling home
For your safety, a responsible adult must drive you home after the procedure. You will be drowsy from the medication used during the procedure. Your ride should be ready to take you home by 10 a.m. the morning you leave the hospital. Please talk to your doctor about when it is safe for you to drive again.
How will I feel?
You may feel discomfort at the device implant site during the first 48 hours after the procedure. Your doctor will tell you which medications you can take for pain relief. Please tell your doctor or nurse if your symptoms are severe or last longer than 48 hours.
Wash your hands before you touch your incision. Do not cover the incision unless your doctor or nurse tells you to do so. Do not use creams, lotions or ointments on the incision.
LOOK at your incision every day. CALL your doctor if you have any signs of infection, such as:
- More drainage, bleeding or oozing than normal.
- An opening in the incision.
- The incision area is red, warm and/or swollen.
- A temperature of 101 degrees F (38.4 degrees C) or higher.
- You feel shaky, chilly or dizzy.
- Also call if you have heart palpitations.
If your device is in your stomach area, do not wear tight-fitting clothing or belts.
Activity guidelines
Talk to your doctor about when it is OK for you to return to work and your normal activities.
During the first 6 weeks after the implant:
- DO NOT lift anything that weighs more than 10 pounds.
- DO NOT push or pull heavy objects. Avoid doing things like shoveling snow, mowing the lawn, etc.
- DO NOT golf, swim, bowl or play tennis.
- If you need to hold your arms above your shoulders, go slow, and do not keep your arms up for more than a few minutes.
Throughout your recovery:
- DO take daily walks to help your recovery.
- Stop doing any activity that makes you overtired.
Follow-up visits and device checks
You will have a follow-up visit for a device check within 6 weeks of your procedure.
This first follow-up appointment is critical, because we will make changes to your device to help it last as long as possible.
You will have a one-time appointment in the Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy - Heart Failure.
Remote Monitoring
Remote monitoring uses a phone (cellular or landline) to send information about your CRT device to the Device Clinic.
- Transmissions are sent every 3 months and are billed as office visits. Call your insurance company to check coverage.
- Alerts are sent if there are changes to your heart rhythm or the device in between transmissions. There is no charge for these transmissions.
- The monitor will be given to you in the Device Clinic or mailed to your home.
- There is no charge for the remote monitor; it is included in the cost of the device implant.
- You will get more information about remote monitoring before you leave the hospital.
CRT = cardiac resynchronization therapy. It is also called biventricular therapy.
Follow-Up Clinic about 6 months after your implant. Your healthcare team will check to see how well your device is helping your heart and make any needed changes to your treatment.
We will share your plan of care with your regular cardiologist, who you will see for your routine follow-up care.
You will need a device check every 3 months after your first follow-up appointment. Device checks can be done in-person, at the Device Clinic or remotely. You can choose what is best for you each time.
You will also need to have your CRT device checked every 6 months in the Device Clinic, as well as an echocardiogram once a year, around the anniversary of your device implant, to check the device leads. You will have a complete device check at the same time.
Device Information
What does therapy from the device feel like?
The device uses different types of therapy to correct your heart rhythm. Depending on the type, you may or may not feel it when it "fires".
- Pacing - Usually does not cause pain. You may not feel this therapy.
- Cardioversion - This type of therapy may feel like a thump on your chest. It only lasts for a moment.
- Defibrillation - This type of therapy may feel like a kick to your chest. It only lasts for a moment. Some patients say it feels like a shock from an electrical outlet. Most of the time, you will be awake when the shock is sent, but you may also lose consciousness before it happens.
What should I do if I receive therapy from the device?
- Stay calm. Sit or lie down.
- If someone is touching you when the device fires, he or she may feel a tingling sensation. This is not harmful.
- If possible, ask someone to stay with you until you feel better.
- If you do not feel well within 5 to 10 minutes after getting therapy, call your doctor or 911.
- If you feel fine after receiving the shock, you only need to call your doctor within 24 hours.
Will electrical devices affect my device?
- You can safely use electric blankets, heating pads, cordless phones and microwave ovens. These electronics will not interfere with the function of your implanted device.
- Hold your cell/mobile phone on the opposite side of where the device was implanted. Do not place a cell/mobile phone directly against your chest or on the same side as your device.
- Avoid strong electric or magnetic fields. These include some industrial equipment, ham radios, high-intensity radio waves (found near large electrical generators, power plants, or radio frequency transmission towers), and arc resistance welders.
- Strong magnetic fields stop the device from monitoring your heart rhythm, but do not damage the device. Once you are out of these fields, the device works normally.
- Other items to avoid are TENS units, muscle stimulators, radiation therapy, mattresses and jewelry that contains magnets, welding equipment and chain saws.
- Walk quickly through entrances where anti-theft devices are being used. If you have any questions about electronic equipment and your device, please call the device manufacturer.
What should I do about my device if I need surgery?
Your device may need to be programmed OFF during surgery. Please contact your doctor’s office to make arrangements. Have your device checked within 6 months before your surgery.
How long will my device last?
CRT devices last 4 to 8 years. Keeping your follow-up appointments in the Device Clinic lets your healthcare team keep track of how well your device is working and when it will need to be changed.
ID card
You will get a temporary ID card that tells you what type of device and leads you have, the device manufacturer, the date of the device implant and the doctor’s name who implanted the device. You will get a permanent card from the device company within 3 months. It is important to carry this card at all times in case you need medical attention.
MRI information
If you need an MRI, call your CRT manufacturer or Device Clinic to see if you can safely have an MRI. The manufacturer’s phone number is on your device ID card.
Managing your condition
Because CRT therapy is only one part of a complete treatment program, it is important for you to take your medications, make changes in your diet, live a healthy lifestyle, keep your follow-up appointments, and be an active member of your treatment team.
If you have questions
Please call the nursing staff in the Device Clinic at: 216.444.6483 or 800.223.2273 ext. 46483, 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. At other times, please call: 800.490.6121 to speak to a registered nurse 24/7. Or 800.223.2273 to ask for the EP Fellow on call.
When to call your doctor
- You have any signs of infection at your incision site.
- Your device fires two or more times within 48 hours or fires before your first follow-up visit.
- You lose consciousness (pass out) before your device fires.
- Your arm closest to the device is numb or feels tingly.
