Effects of intra-aortic balloon pumping on experimental acute myocardial ischaemia.

In an experimental study on dogs, effects of intra-aortic balloon pumping (IABP) on acute myocardial ischaemia without marked cardiac failure were analyzed. With the use of epicardial ST-segment recording IABP was shown to significantly reduce ischaemia when pumping was initiated 10 minutes after left anterior descending coronary artery ligation. Prior to coronary ligation the mean ST-segment height was 6.4 +/- 0.8 mV (mean +/- SE) and 10 minutes after the ligation it was 21.5 +/- 4.6 mV. During pumping ST-segment elevation increased to 6.9 +/- 0.7 mV. A dual-chambered intra-aortic balloon was used, and six dogs were treated with IABP. In the control dog no tendency to spontaneous ST-segment decrease was seen.