open-heart surgery

[ oh-puhn-hahrt ]

noun

1. 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

noun

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

open-heart surgery

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

Word History and Origins

Origin of open-heart surgery¹

First recorded in 1975–80

Example Sentences

I was recovering from open-heart surgery, menopause was looming and I was losing a sense of purpose.

From Los Angeles Times

They include 16-year-old Georgina Smith from Hertfordshire, who is waiting for open-heart surgery to repair a valve on her right side which doesn’t close properly.

From BBC

Doctors recommended Paul undergo open-heart surgery as soon as possible.

From Los Angeles Times

They often need open-heart surgery and feeding and breathing tubes.

From New York Times

They said testing revealed serious blockages in all her coronary arteries and told her, “You’re going to need open-heart surgery,” Ms. Mosson recalled.

From New York Times