The purpose of the bypass machine, also known as a cardiopulmonary bypass machine or heart-lung machine, is to temporarily take over the functions of the heart and lungs. This allows surgeons to perform procedures on the heart while it is stopped and bloodless.
How the Bypass Machine Works
The cardiopulmonary bypass machine performs the critical functions of the heart and lungs by:
- Adding oxygen to the blood: Infusing oxygen into the blood.
- Removing carbon dioxide from the blood: Eliminating carbon dioxide, a waste product.
- Pumping refreshed blood back into the body: Circulating the oxygenated blood throughout the patient's body.
In essence, it reroutes the blood away from the heart and lungs, processes it, and then returns it to the body, maintaining circulation and oxygenation while the heart is being operated on.
