The effect and role of the intraaortic balloon pumping in off-pump coronary artery bypass

Eighty consecutive patients who underwent off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) were studied. They were divided into group I (n = 10) which received preoperative intraaortic balloon pumping (IABP), and group II (n = 70) which did not receive IABP. The indications for preoperative IABP were severe left main coronary artery disease in 7 patients, severe 3 vessel disease in 3 patients, unstable angina in 5 patients, acute myocardial infarction in 3 patients. There was no operative mortality in both groups. The average number of distal anastomosis 2.7/patients in group I and 3.3/patients in group II. There was no differences in ventilator support time, length of stay in the intensive care unit and morbidity between 2 groups. The average postoperative IABP support time was 5.4 hours. There was no IABP-related complication in group I. IABP was very effective to perform OPCAB surgery safety. Preoperative IABP may be effective modality to support OPCAB surgery not only in emergent case but also in elective case.