Is the implant procedure an open-heart procedure?
No. Implanting an ICD is much simpler than it was a few years ago and often takes less than three to four hours. The procedure is usually performed in the pediatric electrophysiology lab. Your child will receive general anesthesia for this procedure and will be asleep from start to finish The incision is usually a small one — three to four inches wide — and is horizontal on the chest. After the ICD is in place and the incision closed, a bandage will be applied to protect the site. Your child will go to the recovery room for a few hours before returning to the hospital bed for an overnight stay. In most cases, you may join your child in the recovery area. Most patients notice some soreness once the local anesthetic has worn away that usually lasts about a week. Your child’s doctor and nurses will discuss medications to take at home to help with pain control. Doctors advise patients with new ICDs to avoid getting the site wet until the skin has healed, usually a couple of weeks.
