[Usefulness of scheduled IABP for CABG]

We examined the usefulness of intra-aortic balloon pumping (IABP) before the coronary arterial bypass grafting (IABP) before the coronary arterial bypass grafting (CABG) in patients with severe ischemic heart disease. Left main trunk (LMT) disease, unstable angina and low ejection fraction (less than 40%) were indications for scheduled IABP. Eleven patients underwent IABP before CABG surgery (the scheduled IABP group), and five patients didn't before CABG surgery (the unscheduled IAPB group). Analysis comprised the duration of IABP and mortality. There were no significant differences between the two groups in age, pre-operational cardiac index, ejection fraction, aorta clamp time or total perfusion time. IABP application times were significantly longer in the unscheduled IABP group than in the scheduled IABP group (p < 0.05). No death occurred in the scheduled group, but three patients in the unscheduled group died (p < 0.05). No complications were observed due to IABP in any patient of either group. We conclude that scheduled IABP is useful for patients with severe ischemic heart disease.