Pacemaker Clinic

This clinic is designed specifically to follow patients who have either a Pacemaker or an Implantable Cardioverter-Defibrillator (ICD). These devices are very reliable but do have a limited battery life and changes can occur in lead function.

Routine detailed pacemaker checks using an external programmer that can assess many aspects of the pacemaker, including battery life, lead function and the occurrence of arrhythmias during previous months, are performed every six months or less by a pacemaker technician and reviewed by the electrophysiologists, Susan Etheridge, MD; and Elizabeth (Tess) Saarel, MD.

In addition to pacemaker clinic evaluation, routine transtelephonic EKG tracings are submitted monthly or every other month and these allow for a more limited review of pacemaker function. This includes the application of a magnet that helps assess battery life.

Clinic Team

Susan P. Etheridge, MD
Elizabeth V. (Tess) Saarel, MD
Tom Pilcher, MD

Adult Congenital Cardiac Center Arrhythmia Clinic Cardiac Center for Marfan Syndrome Fetal Heart Center Pacemaker Clinic Post-operative Surgery Clinic Pulmonary Hypertension Clinic Transplant/Heart Failure Clinic