other names · Added 10 October 2026
Cardiopulmonary bypass
Technique that temporarily takes over the function of the heart and lungs during surgery
Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) or heart-lung machine, also called the pump or CPB pump, is a machine, operated by a cardiac perfusionist, that temporarily takes over the function of the heart and lungs during open-heart surgery by maintaining the circulation of blood and oxygen throughout the body. As such it is an extracorporeal device.
The machine mechanically circulates and oxygenates blood throughout the patient's body while bypassing the heart and lungs allowing the surgeon to work in a bloodless surgical field.
From Wikipedia (CC BY-SA). Not a dictionary word, so it lives in Other Names.
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