Heart Pacemaker battery replacement effects?

@dbamos1945
They don't replace the battery they replace the total device. ICD/Pacemakers are made to be sealed and cannot be opened.

I am on my 3rd ICD/Pacemaker so have been through three surgeries. From my experience the first surgery is the worst as putting something in your body that is foreign and body tries to get rid of it and takes time for it to encapsulate and irritation to go down.

For me all additional surgeries (Mayo Jacksonville) used the same scar from from original surgery. Here is the good news. They don't have to put in the wires again or replace them like they do with the device. So the next surgeries don't involve putting wires into the heart and thus additional surgeries for new device are done a lot faster and less turmoil to body.

For me I was told to watch the same thing as first regarding device surgical site and allowing area to heal. The difference is the wires are in place and seated unlike the first one where you have to be real careful with movement to let the wires seat in the heart (if they used screw in type) and or if static wire end settle in.

You are going to have a surgical site again. I was told most concern is infection. So follow your surgeion's advise on after surgery restrictions. The device is your body has been in there for years. I would guess your husband's was there for 8-10 years. In that time the body encapsulates the device as a foreign body. When that happens the inflamation to body is reduced as it is encapsulated.

Your body will have to go through this again so expect that discomfort where device is until that happens again. You want to follow your surgeons advise on moving your arms, washing area, keeping electrical devices away from it, watching any signs of infection. There may be improvements in the new device and new programming, and new testing to make sure all is performing right.

So good news a lessor surgey as wires are not involved. But still sugery and a device left in body which body won't like and will go through the encapsulation process again.

This come from having 3 surgeies and what my EP has explained to me each time. Tell you husband good luck. The ongoing device replacement surgeies are lot less surgeies than first one and again the device is completely replaced not the battery.