When your heart needs extra support, an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) may be used to help it pump blood more effectively. This short-term mechanical device improves blood flow when your heart isn’t working as well as it should.
When can an IABP be used?
Doctors may use an IABP during or after serious heart conditions or procedures, including:
- Heart surgery
- Heart attack
- Heart failure
- Coronary or valve procedures that reduce blood flow
How It Works
The IABP is placed in your aorta, the body’s largest artery in your body. A small balloon at the end of the device inflates and deflates in sync with your heartbeat:
- When your heart relaxes (diastole), the balloon inflates. This helps increase blood flow to the coronary arteries, which supply your heart with oxygen.
- When your heart contracts (systole), the balloon deflates. This reduces the resistance your heart has to pump against, making it easier for your heart to send blood to the rest of your body.
Benefits
- Improves blood flow to your heart muscle
- Reduces the workload on your heart
- Lowers pressure in the left ventricle, the heart’s main pumping chamber