He then connects the heart-lung machine to the patients 'circulatory system and switches on the pump. An oxygenator takes over the job of the lungs, removing carbon dioxide from the blood and replenishing it with oxygen. The surgeon can now stop the heart, open it, examine it for defects, and repair it. With new and sophisticated equipment.
做開心手術，要先切開皮肉，用鋼鋸鋸斷肋骨，把胸腔撐開，再將連接人工心肺的管子插入心臟，使血液通過管子，流入人工心肺在體外循環，然後才能剖開心臟，修補破洞，更換瓣膜、切除壞死心肌，或安裝新血管。