Should Surgeons Be Interested in the Effects of Bypass?

Jonathan Anderson of Hammersmith Hospital in London, UK, argues that surgeons should be interested in the effect that cardiopulmonary bypass has on a patient. He makes the case that even though cardiopulmonary bypass is safe, it should be continually improved to reduce its negative effects on the patient. Dr Anderson presents a brief history of early techniques for extracorporeal circulation and discusses more recent advances in minimally invasive circuits.