Hemodynamic effects of IABP placement on heart and visceral organs due to postcardiotomy shock

Postcardiotomy shock is a condition characterized by a very high mortality rate in patients with low output following cardiac surgery. Providing mechanical circulatory support using an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) is one treatment option for this condition. IABP is known to have a positive hemodynamic effect on some organs. However, significant hemodynamic studies on end-organs are not yet available in the literature.

This retrospective study included 75 patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (IABP) at the Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic of Konya City Hospital between December 2020 and July 2025 and underwent postcardiotomy shock. Patients were divided into two groups based on IABP location. Laboratory findings were used to analyze the hemodynamic effects of IABP location on end organs and the heart.

No statistically significant differences were observed between the IABP placement site and age, BMI, duration of IABP use, or any preoperative and postoperative laboratory parameters. While the preoperative AST/ALT ratio did not differ significantly between the two groups, the postoperative AST/ALT ratio was found to be significantly higher in the supradiaphragmatic IABP placement group compared with the infradiaphragmatic IABP placement group.

The IABP is one of the mechanical support devices used to manage postcardiotomy shock after coronary bypass surgery. Although it is used for its beneficial effects on cardiac hemodynamics, it can also cause changes in visceral organs in some cases.