How it is implanted | Implantable loop recorders | Cardiology Made Clear with Dr. Freeman

← Implantable loop recorders: the short explanation

All 6 sections, including text and pictures · 8 pages

SECTION 3

How is it implanted?

The skin is numbed with local anesthetic, and no sedation is given. Your doctor makes a small opening and places the recorder beneath the skin. It stays outside the heart, and patients generally go home shortly afterward.

Loop recorder insertion through a small chest skin opening, with a magnified cutaway showing the recorder beneath the skin and above chest muscle. — The recorder is placed in the tissue just beneath the skin, above the chest muscle. There are no leads inside the heart. Conceptual illustration; placement varies.

Driving after loop recorder insertion

You may drive immediately after loop recorder insertion because no sedation is given. Local anesthetic numbs the skin without making you sleepy. Any existing driving restriction from your doctor still applies.

Sources & further readingMayo Clinic: Implantable loop recorders Johns Hopkins: Loop recorder implantation

Updated October 2026. Educational information; your own care plan may differ. Medical illustrations are simplified examples for teaching.