open-heart surgery
Americannoun
noun
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
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Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.