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Although the heart itself is not opened, the heart-lung bypass machine is used to re-route the blood from the heart while the surgery is being done to provide adequate circulation to the brain and other vital organs.
Review Date 4/13/2026
Updated by: Mary C. Mancini, MD, PhD, Cardiothoracic Surgeon, Shreveport, LA. Review provided by VeriMed Healthcare Network. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.
