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An oxygenator is a component of a heart-lung machine. This machine temporarily substitutes for a patient's heart and lungs during open-heart surgery. The oxygenator's function is to introduce oxygen into the patient's blood and remove carbon dioxide, mimicking the role of the lungs. This allows surgeons to operate on the heart with an unobstructed view and a stable blood supply to vital organs. The blood is pumped from the body into the machine, through the oxygenator, and then returned to the patient's arterial system.1

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