ICD Notes

ICD Notes

ICD/Pacemaker people from St. Jude Medical (16 Nov 2011):
Nineteen days after I had an ICD implant, the St. Jude Medical people came to the heart doctor's office to check on the devices implanted in 18 local people to make sure they were running right, to ascertain approximate battery life left, make any adjustments needed, etc. Justin and Tippy took the time to answer my questions and to make me feel further at ease with my new heart electrical system. They are to be thanked.

I will see them every 3 months so they can check the ICD and make sure all is going ok with the ICD.

With my third degree heart block the ICD is working about 99 % of the time. At that rate the ICD battery should last around 6 years.

ICD cost :
I have not found out how much my specific model of a new pacemaker/ICD costs. But "ball-park" figures from the internet indicate a cost of $25,000 to over $60,000 for a pacemaker/ICD. Additional costs would be for the hospital, and medical personnel/expenses before, during, and after implant of the pacemaker/ICD. My various insurance reports should come out later.

Assuming the ICD battery lasts 4 years the total costs should average out to about $100 per day (rough estimate) for the 4 years. If the battery lasts 6 years, the cost would be about $66 per day (rough estimate). This is a high amount for an extension of life, but I am enjoying each day........... Luckily I paid my insurance for many years and gave up other stuff in paying for the insurance back then. Now I get to wake up more days because I kept the insurance .... one thing I apparently did right down through the years.

Adrian R. Lawler, Ph.D.,   (C) 2011 --