What are the main components of the CPB circuit?

• A. Scalpels, sutures, hemostats, clamps.
• B. The pump, oxygenator, heat exchanger/temperature management, arterial and venous cannulas, cardioplegia delivery system, and monitoring lines.
• C. Ventricle, atria, valves.
• D. Only pump and oxygenator.

Answer: (B)

A CPB circuit is an external system that replaces the heart and lung function by routing blood through a machine that oxygenates it, regulates temperature, and returns it to the patient. The key components are the pump that drives flow through the circuit, the oxygenator that performs gas exchange, the heat exchanger/temperature management system that controls blood temperature, arterial and venous cannulas that access the arterial and venous circulations, the cardioplegia delivery system that administers protective solution to arrest the heart, and the monitoring lines that track pressures, temperatures, and gas exchange to ensure safe perfusion. This combination of hardware and monitoring is what makes up the CPB circuit. The other options describe tools, anatomy, or an incomplete setup, which do not constitute the CPB circuit components.