AllBodySurgery.com
How is the heart-lung machine put into effect during an open heart surgery?
During an open heart surgery, does the heart stop before they put the heart lung machine or they put it while the heart is beating? And also, how do they stop the heart?
Public Comments
- The pump is connected but not started. Once in place, a cold saline solution is injected into the heart to stop it. Then the pump is started. The patient is kept cold to slow down his/her metabolism. On the other side, once the case is done, the patient is warmed & the pump stopped.
