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Open heart surgery

Definition

Heart surgery is any surgery done on the heart muscle, valves, arteries, or the aorta and other large arteries connected to the heart.

The term "open heart surgery" means that you are connected to a heart-lung bypass machine, or bypass pump during surgery.

• Your heart is stopped while you are connected to this machine.

• This machine does the work of your heart and lungs while your heart is stopped for the surgery. The machine adds oxygen to your blood, moves blood through your body, and removes carbon dioxide.

Common types of open-heart surgery include:

• Heart bypass surgery (coronary artery bypass graft -- CABG)

• Heart valve surgery

• Surgery to correct a heart defect present at birth (congenital defect)

New procedures are being done on the heart through smaller cuts. Some new procedures are being done while the heart is still beating.

References

Bernstein D. General principles of treatment of congenital heart disease. In: Kliegman RM, St. Geme JW, Blum NJ, et al, eds. Nelson Textbook of Pediatrics. 22nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2025:chap 483.

Ngu JMC, Rubens FD. Cardiopulmonary bypass: technique and pathophysiology. In: Sellke FW, del Nido PJ, Swanson SJ, eds. Sabiston and Spencer Surgery of the Chest. 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2024:chap 65.

Review Date: 5/5/2025

Reviewed By: Michael A. Chen, MD, PhD, Associate Professor of Medicine, Division of Cardiology, Harborview Medical Center, University of Washington Medical School, Seattle, WA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.