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How does the heart-lung machine work?

April 26, 2017heart-lung Machine

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How does the heart-lung machine work?

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The heart-lung machine or cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) machine siphons the blood out of the patients’ body from the vena cava (before it can enter the heart) and then pumps it back into the aorta replacing the pumping function of the heart. This allows the surgeon to operate on the heart while it is temporarily stopped. The CPB machine also “breathes” for the patient by eliminating carbon dioxide and providing oxygen to the blood.