Dictionary.com
Thesaurus.com

heart-lung machine

American  
[hahrt-luhng] / ˈhɑrtˈlʌŋ /

noun

  1. a device through which blood is shunted temporarily for oxygenation during surgery, while the heart or a lung is being repaired.


heart-lung machine British  

noun

  1. a machine used to maintain the circulation and oxygenation of the blood during heart surgery

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

heart-lung machine Scientific  
  1. An apparatus through which blood is temporarily diverted, especially during heart surgery, in order to oxygenate and pump it, thus maintaining circulation.


Etymology

Origin of heart-lung machine

First recorded in 1955–60

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Mr. Nelson is a former heart surgeon who helped develop a heart-lung machine to support the first open-heart surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass.

From Washington Times Sep. 29, 2023

Once she was weaned off the heart-lung machine, she discovered she had missed a major life event while under sedation: She had a son.

From New York Times Mar. 16, 2023

Since the transplant, David Bennett had been connected to a heart-lung machine to support his new heart.

From Seattle Times Jan. 11, 2022

On Monday, Bennett was breathing on his own while still connected to a heart-lung machine to help his new heart.

From Washington Post Jan. 10, 2022

Dal placed the connections to the heart-lung machine perfectly, and moved with new swiftness and confidence as the great blood vessels were clamped off and the damaged heart removed.

From Star Surgeon by Nourse, Alan Edward

Vocabulary.com logo
by dictionary.com

Dictionary.com's Learning Companion

Go beyond just looking up words.
Remember them forever with VocabTrainer.

Start training