Intra-aortic balloon pumping in the treatment of cardiogenic shock following open-heart surgery.

Intra-aortic balloon pumping (IABP) was used in the treatment of 29 patients in cardiogenic shock refractory to pressor drugs subsequent to open-heart surgery. Nineteen patients recovered from the shock primarily, but four died later in hospital. The remaining 15 were discharged alive. Peroperative electromagnetic flow measurements in one patient showed a 23% increase in aortic flow and a 26% increase in aortocoronary bypass flow when pumping was started.