A pacemaker is a small implantable medical device that helps regulate the heart rhythm. It helps in managing conditions associated with the electrical system of the heart, when any part of the conduction system of the organ fails. Its major function is to ensure that the heart does not beat too fast or too slow, and beats at the right rhythm to avoid arrhythmias.
It is placed under the skin below the collar bone and connected to the heart chambers by lead wires running through a blood vessel. This surgery usually takes 1 to 2 hours.