Abnormal Heart Rhythm

Sinus Node Dysfunction

Signs and Symptoms
Diagnosis
Treatment

Treatment

Sinus node dysfunction (SND) is a rhythm disturbance that can be treated with the implantation of a permanent pacemaker. The pacemaker helps your child's heart beat consistently. A pacemaker is a medical device that regulates the heart beat. It consists of two parts -- the generator and the lead. The generator is a small metal container with a battery and tiny computer. The lead is an insulated wire that carries electrical impulses to the heart to ensure a stable heartbeat.

The computer in the pacemaker is constantly monitoring your child's heartbeat. This is called sensing. When the pacemaker senses your childs heartbeat, it continues to "watch" or monitor your child's heart and does not send a signal to stimulate the heart to beat. If no electrical impulse is sensed by the pacemaker, it sends out a signal to stimulate your child's heart to beat.

Single Chamber Pacemaker	Dual Chamber Pacemaker

Illustrations courtesy of Medtronic

For information on how a pacemaker is implanted, please see Pediatric Pacemaker Procedure.

Reviewed by health care specialists at UCSF Children's Hospital.
Last updated May 8, 2007