Professional
Technical
In the Industry Vocabulary Test
CPB
Also written as: CPB — Cardiopulmonary Bypass
Technique that temporarily takes over heart and lung function during cardiac surgery using an external circuit.
Full Definition
Cardiopulmonary bypass is a technique that diverts blood away from the heart and lungs to an external circuit containing a pump (artificial heart) and oxygenator (artificial lung). This allows cardiac surgeons to operate on a motionless, bloodless heart while maintaining perfusion to vital organs. CPB management requires close collaboration between the anesthesiologist and perfusionist to monitor anticoagulation, blood pressure, and end-organ perfusion throughout the procedure.
Usage
Usage note: Distinguish from other mechanical support devices in documentation.
In Context
- "The patient was successfully weaned from CPB after 95 minutes of cross-clamp time." — Operative report
- "CPB flow rates were maintained at 2.4 L/min/m² throughout the procedure." — Perfusion record
Also known as
heart-lung machine
extracorporeal circulation
Contrasted with
off-pump surgery
Don't confuse with
ECMO
IABP