Applications of intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation.

Intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation (IABC) is the form of mechanical circulatory assistance in widest clinical use today. The clinical results with IABC employed in 63 patients over a four-year period are presented. The clinical conditions necessitating mechanical circulatory assistance were: cardiogenic shock following acute myocardial infarction; myocardial infarction complicated by mitral valyular regurgitation or ventricular septal defect; preinfarction angina syndrome; postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock with pump oxygenator dependence; postcardiotomy cardiogenic shock during the postoperative recovery period; and septic shock. Survival and discharge from hospital occurred with 32 of 63 patients (51%). Evaluations of left ventricular function were studied in 20 patients on IABC by construction of Frank Starling curves, with cardiac output determined by thermodilution techniques. In general, IABC shifted the curves to the left and increased their slope.