Insertion/Removal/Exchange – Pacemakers and defibrillators can be upgraded for people whose hearts are out of sync and in heart failure. Very specific criteria need to be met for these special devices and select patients with heart failure may see an improvement in their symptoms. Similar to a pacemaker and a defibrillator, the device is placed under the skin on your chest and special wires travel through a vein into your heart. The wires read the electrical signals your heart is trying to send and send more if needed. If the CRT device is a defibrillator, it can correct a fatal electrical storm by restarting your heart. The device batteries last 3-10 years, so your device will need to be checked regularly at your doctor’s office. When the battery needs to be replaced, the wires stay but the device under the skin is removed and replaced with a new one.