Intra-aortic balloon assist: initial Mayo Clinic experience and current concepts.

The initial experience with intra-aortic balloon assist (IABA) at the Mayo Clinic has been with 34 desperately ill individuals; 17 survived hospitalization. Hemodynamic improvement associated with institution of IABA can be documented. An unacceptably high complication rate (26%) has resulted in extensive modification in the technique of employing IABA. Concepts of patient selection and applications of IABA have evolved from this initial experience and from a review of the literature and have resulted in less reluctant use of this cardiac-assist modality.