MODEL RELEASED. Heart valve surgery. Image 21 of 24. Surgeons attaching an artificial (prosthetic) heart valve. The plastic tubes attach the patient t

---

MODEL RELEASED. Heart valve surgery. Image 21 of 24. Surgeons attaching an artificial (prosthetic) heart valve. The plastic tubes attach the patient to a heart-lung machine, which maintains the patient's circulation while the heart is temporarily stopped. There are four valves in the human heart, all of which prevent the backflow of blood. Damage to the valves can lead to malfunctioning of the heart and death. If a valve cannot be repaired it must be replaced. For a sequence showing the operation, see images M560/494 to M560/517.

---

Size: 3508px × 2332px
Photo credit: © AJ PHOTO/SCIENCE PHOTO LIBRARY / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: adult, blood, bypass, cap, caps, cardiac, cardiopulmonary, cardiothoracic, caucasian, chest, device, doctor, doctors, equipment, female, gloved, gloves, heart, hospital, human, lowering, machine, male, man, mask, masks, medical, medicine, open, operating, operation, organ, patient, procedure, repairing, replacement, replacing, sequence, stitching, surgeon, surgeons, surgery, surgical, suturing, team, theatre, thoracic, tool, treatment, tube, tubes, valve, woman