Results of intraaortic balloon pumping after cardiac surgery: experience with the Percor balloon catheter.

One hundred thirty-eight patients undergoing an open-heart procedure required an intraaortic balloon pump (IAPB) postoperatively. In Group I (N = 45), the AVCO femoral conduit surgical technique was used; in Group II (N = 93), the Percor balloon was inserted either in the operating room after groin cutdown (open insertion) or percutaneously in the intensive care unit (percutaneous insertion). IABP usage increased in Group II (3% versus 1.6%; p less than 0.001). Immediate mortality was 40% (55/138). Use of the Percor balloon in Group II resulted in lower immediate mortality (32/93 or 34% versus 23/45 or 51%; p less than 0.06). Delayed mortality from multiorgan failure was 11.6% (16/138). Immediate percutaneous insertion at the bedside rather than a return to the operating room for open insertion yielded lower mortality (2/8 or 25% versus 6/7 or 86%; p less than 0.05). Open insertion of the Percor balloon decreases the failure rate of insertion compared with both the AVCO femoral conduit technique (7/85 or 8.2% versus 5/45 or 11%) and percutaneous insertion. It has more complications than the AVCO femoral conduit technique (7/85 or 8.2% versus 2/45 or 4.4%) and less than percutaneous insertion.