“What is the life expectancy of a person with a pacemaker?”

Obviously, the life expectancy with a pacemaker is largely related to the age of the person who receives the pacemaker. A pacemaker, per se would not necessarily lead to a significantly shortened life expectancy although there are occasional and very rare serious complications from surgical implantation of a pacemaker. Since the batteries do wear out every 5 to 7 years when you’re 12 years old you will end up with a lot of surgeries. However, the 80-year-old who gets a pacemaker for heart block has a much shorter life expectancy, of course, than a 12-year-old. Overall my guess is a 12-year-old with a pacemaker might only have a one or two year shortening of his life expectancy unless there are other significant underlying conditions that lead to the need for the pacemaker.

Life expectancy should be no different in a person with a pacemaker than without. The underlying condition that led to pacemaker implantation has more of a bearing on life expectancy rather than the pacemaker itself. Obviously there are risks to pacemaker implantation (as with all procedures) but people can live long productive lives with a pacemaker.

A lot of it depends on the reason for the pacemaker. If the heart is structurally normal and has normal heart function then life expectancy can be quite good. There will be a need for pacemaker revisions and replacing the battery, but most children do very well into adulthood. If your son also has congenital heart disease, then that can affect the long term outcome depending on the heart problem.