Heart Lung Machine

Before surgeons can perform open-heart surgery or heart transplants or even to correct a simple heart defect, they have to be able to open up the heart and expose the chambers. To enable this, circulation and respiration are maintained by the heart - lung machine. The function of the heart is performed by a roller pump. Oxygenation of blood is carried out by an oxygenator, which is the artificial lung. This is a heart lung bypass, where by blood bypasses the heart and lungs completely. Blood is pumped and oxygenated by the machine outside the body. The heart lung machine thus functions as the heart and the lung. This helps the surgeons to perform the surgery or procedure. Modern heart - lung machines may also chill the blood to produce hypothermia (low body temperature to slow metabolism and reduce oxygen need) as well.