Hey, So sorry to be so long getting back to you about the small pacemaker. It is a Medtronic Micra Transcatheter Pacemaker actually implanted INSIDE my heart. No leads attached at all. It is implanted thru a vein coming from my groin. When the pacemaker gets to the proper place it is released and anchors INSIDE the heart with hooks that look like fish hooks. It is then tugged on to insure it is properly attached and the thing taking it through the vein is removed. I received it in July of 2017 at Emory Hospital in Atlanta, Ga. Dr. Mikhael El-Chami is the doctor in charge of implanting these little pacemakers. I check in once a month by sending a reading thru a machine that reads it after contacting Emory. Once a year, I get tested at Emory because I am in the program until I die I guess. LOL I have had no problems with the pacemaker at all. Just beats right along no matter what I do. The wires connected to my first regular pacemaker became embeded in my Tricuspid valve and tore it open resulting in blood flooding through and damaging my liver. Now all 4 valves are leaking badly, but I can not have them repaired because my congestive heart failure is so bad. I have no complaints with my tiny (size of a small capsule} and would recommend getting one. It is my 4th pacemaker. I am the 700 person in the world having one. Probably a lot more people have them now. Please let me hear from you if you get one. Good luck.

My second pacemaker was a large one too. I woke up in the middle of the surgery to put that one in. The dumb doctor was trying to put the larger pacemaker in the same space as the first smaller pacemaker. It was horrible and I almost came off the table when I woke up in so much pain. Think I scared everybody with my movement and screams. LOL I was afraid of the same thing when I got my first pacemaker too. The pocket that held the old pacemaker still hurts me a lot even though it is empty. The nerves around it were damaged causing the pain. If you need another one in the future, ask for a tiny one actually inside the heart not on the chest outside the heart cavity. No leads involved Tiny battery last up to 12 years. Had mine over a year and no problems so far. All four valves leak blood very badly which causes many more problems with my liver and kidneys. and can't be repaired or replaced so I might not get to test the longtivity of the battery. Hope you don't have any problems with your pacemaker and just relax and don't worry about it. . Just enjoy not having AFIB any longer. Have a good night.

The surgery is about the same as having a heart cath. A device is placed inside a vein in my groin and moved to a spot inside a vein in my heart. Then a procedure releases the tiny pacemaker which hangs inside the heart wall with grips like a fish hook. It is tugged on a few times to insure it is securely attached. The pacemaker is then turned on and the tube that shot it in place is removed. My heart is in such bad shape because of the lead being in the valve so I can not be put to sleep for open heart surgery to replace the tricuspid valve. I had a pacemaker through my neck for a few days before and during the surgery. Felt funny to have my pacemaker hanging around my neck. lol I am completely dependent on this tiny pacemaker and so far there are no complications since it was implanted on July 11,2017. One funny thing about the pacemaker, I have no pulse at all in my wrist and only a tiny one in my neck. It freaks some nurses out who don't know about the pacemaker and can't find a pulse. I've learned not to fear the unknown new procedures some heart specialist know how to do, they know what they are doing and we just have to trust them. Saying lots of prayers helps too.

I forgot to tell you. I believe I was told Dr. Mikhael El-Chami travels everywhere implanting these pacemakers. Don't know where you are, but he may come to your area. Your cardiologist should contact him if you are interested.

I have total heart block, dependant on a pacemaker.