We use a CRT device in patients with heart failure, meaning their heart is not pumping blood out as efficiently as it should. There are various causes, such as muscle damage from heart attacks or heart muscle disease (cardiomyopathies).

If your heart works as it should, both ventricles beat simultaneously, meaning your blood pumps efficiently throughout your body.

In addition, in a significant proportion of patients with heart failure, one side of the heart can beat out of sync with the other. Your cardiologist might call this a “bundle branch block”. This means that the blood cannot flow as efficiently throughout the body. You may feel more short of breath than you once did or develop fluid build-up in your legs.

Initially, we will try to control these symptoms with medications to take the pressure off the heart. But, if these aren’t working optimally, we may consider CRT.

We usually insert a CRT while you are still awake. You will receive sedation (medication to make you sleepy) and local anaesthetic (medication injected under the skin to numb the area).

We then make a cut in your chest, just below the collarbone, on the left side. From the veins in your chest, we pass leads down to the heart. Usually, there are three leads, but there may be two, depending on your case. Then, we make a pocket under the skin for the battery or generator.

Once the leads and the battery are connected, we close the wound with sutures (stitches). You will usually stay in the hospital overnight for monitoring.

Depending on the sutures we use, you may need to have them removed in 7-10 days by your GP’s practice nurse. The hospital staff will tell you if and when you need to do this.

As already mentioned, you may need to have the stitches removed after 7-10 days. For the first week, you must keep the wound clean and dry to minimise the chances of the wound getting infected.

For the first six weeks, don’t lift your left arm above your shoulder – or right arm if the device is on the right side. It takes this long for the leads to become bedded and fixed into position.

If you move your arm, one of the leads could become dislodged and relocate, meaning it won’t work effectively. You may then need another procedure to put the lead back into the correct position.

You will have to stop driving for a while after the device is implanted and inform the DVLA that you have had the device implanted. The time you can’t drive depends on the type of device and the reasons we implanted it.

The battery of your CRT will last for around 7-10 years. After this time, you will need to have it replaced. It is a straightforward procedure. We attach a new battery to the existing leads, which don’t often need replacing. The leads can last longer and usually stay in for the rest of your life.