open-heart surgery

American

[oh-puhn-hahrt] / ˈoʊ pənˈhɑrt /

noun

surgery performed on the exposed heart while a heart-lung machine pumps and oxygenates the blood and diverts it from the heart.

open-heart surgery British

noun

surgical repair of the heart during which the blood circulation is often maintained mechanically

"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

open-heart surgery Scientific

Surgery in which the thoracic cavity is opened to expose the heart and the blood is recirculated and oxygenated by a heart-lung machine.

Etymology

Origin of open-heart surgery

First recorded in 1975–80

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.

Suzanne Thoma, a business executive who grew up locally, said a population cap would be like performing open-heart surgery on the export-oriented Swiss economy.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 12, 2026

Both address bad valves without open-heart surgery, typically by going in through the femoral artery in the groin.

From Barron's • Jun. 5, 2026

Medical records reviewed by The Times show he has a cardiac condition that required open-heart surgery, a procedure Gaza’s shattered healthcare system could no longer provide.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 19, 2026

It requires open-heart surgery, usually in early infancy, to repair the defect, fix the valve, and prevent permanent damage to the lungs.

From BBC • Feb. 13, 2026

Imagine trying to perform open-heart surgery with a sledgehammer.

From "Artemis Fowl" by Eoin Colfer

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023