D

Defibrillator. Any device designed to deliver electrical pulses to the heart in order to restore normal rhythm.

E

Endotracheal Tube or Intubation. During surgery, a tube is placed in your throat and connected to a ventilator. The ventilator helps you breathe during surgery. This tube will usually be left in your throat for a few hours after surgery to allow you time to rest as you begin to breathe on your own.

H

Heart Attack. If a detached piece of plaque or a blood clot gets stuck in a narrowed artery, blood flow to that area of the heart muscle stops. Part or all of the heart muscle dies as a result.

Heart-Lung Bypass Machine. The piece of equipment used in heart surgery that oxygenates and circulates blood for the patient while the heart is physically stopped for surgery.