St Vincents Private Hospitals

• Prepare some cooked meals in advance
• Arrange to have some help at home with daily tasks while you recover from surgery
• Set up a recovery area where you can rest and complete your daily rehabilitation exercises
• Organise some loose-fitting clothes to avoid aggravating the wound
• Keep all necessary items accessible and below hip height to avoid over-stretching

Your recovery from pacemaker placement surgery

After the surgery is complete, you will spend some time in recovery before being discharged. Some patients may be required to spend slightly longer in hospital, but patients are typically discharged one or two days after the procedure. It is normal to see a slight bulge under the skin where the pacemaker has been implanted, and there may be some bruising at the incision site which should go away after a few weeks. The wound is protected by a special dressing, and your doctor may recommend keeping your arm immobilised in a sling to help with your recovery while you heal. Although you are likely to be able to return to your usual routine within a few days, driving is not permitted until advised by your doctor and any strenuous activity should be avoided until cleared by your medical team. You will be given specific information about the make and model of your pacemaker, as well as any necessary precautions. Attending regular follow-up appointments as advised by your doctor is an important part of the recovery process, and essential to ensuring that your pacemaker continues to function effectively. 

What to look out for at home

Talk to your medical team at once if you experience any of the following: 

• Faintness or dizziness
• You feel an alarm or vibration from your pacemaker
• Redness or oozing around the wound site
• Fever
• Hiccups that last a long time
• Heart-related symptoms

Average recovery timeline

Week 1

• Keep your wound clean and dry 
• Protect your wound if wearing a bra or seatbelt
• Keep your arm low, and avoid raising it above your shoulder until cleared by your doctor
• Avoid lifting heavy objects or any strenuous activity for the first six weeks
• Talk to your doctor about any pain
• Perform the prescribed rehabilitation exercises to prevent the shoulder stiffening up

Weeks 4-6

• Your pacemaker is checked to ensure it is working properly
• Reaching above shoulder height may now be permitted by your doctor
• Start to build up your level of exercise
• Continue on with your prescribed physiotherapy exercises

Regular follow-up care is required after pacemaker placement surgery. Patients are given a pacemaker ID card that will help other medical professionals administer any care that you need in the future.

Living with your pacemaker

Many patients feel anxious leaving hospital after pacemaker placement. This is completely normal and an expected part of the recovery process. When leaving hospital, your discharge team will talk to you about any precautions you need to consider:

• Always carry an ID card with the details of your pacemaker
• Avoid high-voltage machinery and equipment
• Inform your doctor or dentist prior to any surgery
• Avoid contact sport that could impact your pacemaker
• Inform airport security as your pacemaker may activate the alarm, and detector wands may affect the function of your device
• Always attend your scheduled check-up appointments