Cardiac surgery under cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB)

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB), also known as extracorporeal circulation, is a technique that allows the surgeon to operate on a still, bloodless heart. During the procedure, a specialised device called a heart-lung machine temporarily takes over the work of the heart and lungs: it keeps blood circulating through the body and oxygenates it, under the constant supervision of a dedicated perfusionist. This technique is essential for most so-called "open-heart" procedures: replacement or repair of heart valves, certain coronary artery bypass grafts, aortic surgery and correction of congenital malformations. It gives the surgeon optimal working conditions to perform highly precise manoeuvres. CPB is now a fully mastered technique, governed by rigorous protocols for protecting the heart and other organs. At the end of the procedure, the heart gradually resumes its activity and the machine is gently withdrawn. At Clinique Pasteur Tunis, surgery under CPB is performed in an operating theatre dedicated to cardiac surgery, by a seasoned team of surgeons, anaesthetists-intensivists and perfusionists. The patient is then admitted to the post-cardiac surgery intensive care unit for close monitoring.