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Updated: Oct 13, 2026
The Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump
Published on: February 5, 2021
Preventive use of intra-aortic balloon pump in patients undergoing high-risk coronary artery bypass grafting: a
Jingchao Zhang1, Yan Lang1, Longhui Guo1
1Department of Cardiac Surgery, First Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University, Zhengzhou, Henan, China (mainland).
Insights
Preoperative intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) insertion in high-risk coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) patients significantly reduces complications like low cardiac output syndrome. This approach is safe and effective, improving outcomes compared to emergency IABP use.
Area of Science:
- Cardiology
- Cardiac Surgery
- Critical Care Medicine
Background:
- Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is vital for coronary heart disease (CHD) patients.
- High-risk patients (EuroSCORE > 12) with poor cardiac function benefit from peri-operative intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) support.
- Optimal timing for IABP insertion in these patients remains debated.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare short-term clinical outcomes of preoperative versus emergency IABP insertion in extremely high-risk CABG patients.
- To evaluate the impact of IABP timing on key peri-operative complications and resource utilization.
- To determine the safety and efficacy of preoperative IABP in this vulnerable patient cohort.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective comparison of two groups of high-risk CABG patients: one receiving preoperative IABP and the other emergency IABP.
- Analysis of IABP support time, respirator support time, and ICU length of stay.
- Assessment of rates for low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS), acute myocardial infarction, and acute kidney injury.
Main Results:
- Preoperative IABP group showed significantly shorter IABP support, respirator support, and ICU stay (p<0.05).
- Rates of LCOS, acute myocardial infarction, and acute kidney injury were significantly lower in the preoperative IABP group (p<0.05).
- No significant differences were observed in IABP-related complications or mortality between the groups (p=0.106).
Conclusions:
- Preoperative IABP insertion is a safe and effective strategy for high-risk CABG patients.
- Early IABP use can mitigate peri-operative complications and reduce resource utilization.
- This approach offers improved short-term clinical outcomes for selected high-risk cardiac surgical patients.
Background:
Coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) is an important therapeutic measure for CHD patients. The patients who score more than 12 EuroSCORE points cannot achieve good results because of their low cardiac output and delicate left ventricular function. Therefore, use of an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) is essential for coronary surgical patients in the peri-operative period. At present, there is no unified standard about when to insert an IABP. This study aimed to compare the short-term clinical outcomes of the IABP inserted in the preoperative condition with its use in the emergency condition for extremely high-risk patients.
Material And Methods:
IABP support time, respirator support time, and ICU stay time were significantly shorter (all p<0.05) in the preoperative IABP group compared to the emergency IABP group, and the rates of low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS), acute myocardial infarction, and acute kidney injury in the preoperative group were also significantly lower in the preoperative IABP group (all p<0.05). There were no significant differences in IABP-related complications and the mortality (p=0.106) between two groups.
Results:
Compared to the emergency IABP group, the IABP support time, respirator support time and ICU stay time were significantly lower in the preoperative IABP group (all p<0.05), and the rates of LCOS, acute myocardial infarction, and acute kidney injury in the preoperative group were also significantly lower (all p<0.05). There were no significant differences in IABP-related complications and the mortality (p=0.106) between the 2 groups.
Conclusions:
For high-risk patients with CABG, preoperative IABP insertion is a safe and effective measure.
