Which of these is NOT a characteristic of cardiopulmonary bypass?

Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) plays a critical role in cardiac surgery by temporarily taking over the function of the heart and lungs. One of the essential aspects of CPB is that it provides oxygenated blood to the body while allowing the heart to remain still during surgical procedures.

The concept of draining blood from the aorta is not accurate in the context of normal CPB operations. Instead, during CPB, blood is typically drained from the right atrium or the superior/inferior vena cavae to be returned after being oxygenated through a pump-oxygenator system. This method allows for effective control of blood flow and pressure during the surgical intervention, ensuring that the body's organs are adequately perfused while the heart is immobilized.

In contrast, the other characteristics mentioned are indeed part of what CPB entails—such as its role in providing perfusion to other organs, supporting a bloodless surgical field, and utilizing an arterial line filter to remove microemboli and improve the safety of the perfusion process. These features highlight the sophistication and necessity of CPB in modern cardiac surgery, emphasizing why the accurate understanding of its operational principles is vital for those involved in cardiac surgical care.