Cardiac surgery at Melbourne's Austin Hospital has been suspended due to a bypass equipment fault discovered during a patient's surgery.

This is the second incident in a month, with the previous malfunction causing serious harm.

The heart-lung machine malfunction has led to a pause in surgeries, and patients scheduled for cardiac procedures will be redirected to other facilities.

The faulty machines have been removed from clinical use, and investigations are ongoing.

Safer Care Victoria is investigating both incidents, and it is uncertain when surgeries will resume at the hospital.

AMA Victoria has raised concerns about equipment reliability, noting that over 500 surgeries were cancelled in 2019.

The hospital is taking steps to enhance patient safety and ensure continuous improvement, while reassuring the community of its commitment to quality care.