Heart lung machines take over the functions of the heart and lungs by replacing the heart's pumping action and by adding oxygen to the blood during an open heart surgery. For this reason, they are also called cardiopulmonary bypass machines. These machines have several components: interconnected tubings made of silicone rubber or PVC, a pump that gently propels blood through the tubings, an oxygenator that replenishes oxygen in the blood, and multiple cannulae sewn into the patient's body in different locations. An open heart surgery could take hours to complete and only trained technicians called perfusion technologists (or blood flow specialists) can operate these machines. Heart lung machines are mandatory fixtures for cardiac surgeries as well as heart and lung transplantation.
