Bypass Operation

An operation needing ‘Heart Lung Bypass’. This refers to the use of the heart lung bypass machine, which takes over the function of the heart and the lungs, pumping blood round the body and supplying oxygen to the blood. (When people refer to a ‘double bypass’ or ‘triple bypass’ operation, etc., they are usually referring to an operation to provide a bypass for blocked coronary arteries, usually in adults with Coronary Heart Disease. This is not the same as a Bypass Operation, although most operations for Coronary Heart Disease do use ‘Heart Lung Bypass’).