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Updated: Jun 10, 2026

The Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump
Published on: February 5, 2021
Thrombosis of the ascending aorta during mechanical circulatory support in a patient with cardiogenic shock
Evangelos Leontiadis1, Heinrich Koertke, Andreas Bairaktaris
1Department of Thoracic and Cardiovascular Medicine, Heart and Diabetes Center North-Rhine Westphalia, Ruhr-University of Bochum, Bad Oeynhausen, Germany. evanleon@yahoo.com
Abstract:
Cardiogenic shock after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is a life-threatening complication and is most often related to abrupt vessel closure. We present the case of a patient who developed cardiogenic shock after PCI and was supported with intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation and the Levitronix CentriMag short-term mechanical circulatory support. He was evaluated for implantation of a ventricular assist device as bridge-to-transplantation. Preoperative transesophageal echocardiography revealed a massive thrombus of the aortic root and ascending aorta despite optimal anticoagulation regimen. The patient succumbed due to multiorgan failure.
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