Follow-Up
You should have a follow-up appointment with your physician within 7
to 10 days of surgery. At this visit, the nurse and physician will
check your incision and also assist you with guidelines for increasing
your activity. If this is not arranged prior to discharge, the patient
should call the Arrhythmia Service at 650 723-7111 so that we can
coordinate the follow-up.
One month after implant, you will need to have your ICD tested to
evaluate its functioning. This gives your physician an opportunity to
expand the programming of the device specifically for your arrhythmia.
This is done in the EPS laboratory on an outpatient basis and will
take about one hour.
You need to have your defibrillator checked every four months. This
visit is required to check the ICD battery and ensure that the device
is functioning properly. It is important that you keep these appointments.
It is very important that the patient have the patient's
defibrillator checked regularly (1 month after implant and every 3 to
4 months remotely or in the clinic thereafter). The patient should
contact the Arrhythmia Service at 650-723-7111 if that has not been
arranged for the patient.
If patient is to undergo dental procedures or any type of surgery
involving electrocautery, the patient's dentist/physician should be
asked to contact either the device manufacturer or the Arrhythmia
Service (Normal teeth cleaning is safe and requires no special instructions).
It is advisable that family members be certified in CPR. Classes are
available at local chapters of the American Heart Association or the
Red Cross.
