An intra-aortic balloon pump is a temporary device that supports the heart. A long, thin balloon is placed in the aorta, the body's main artery, through an artery in the groin. It inflates when the heart relaxes, pushing more blood to the heart muscle, and deflates just before the heart contracts, reducing the work the heart has to do.

Patients looking for a cardiac care hospital in Mumbai with intensive care support at Apex may need IABP when the heart is in shock after a large heart attack, during very high-risk angioplasty, in some mechanical complications of heart attack or while waiting for surgery. The cardiologist and intensivist in the cardiac ICU make the decision urgently.

The balloon is inserted under local anaesthesia with X-ray guidance, and it is connected to a console that times the inflation with the heartbeat. Patients stay in bed with the leg kept straight, and nurses check the leg's circulation, the access site, and blood counts frequently. The pump is usually needed for a few days and is removed once the heart can manage.

How the Procedure Can Help

It improves blood flow to the heart and lowers its workload, which can help stabilise a critically ill patient until recovery or definitive treatment.

Risks and Considerations

Risks include reduced blood flow to the leg, bleeding, infection, low platelet count, balloon rupture and injury to the aorta. Pain, coldness, numbness or colour change in the leg needs immediate attention.