title: A New 35-mm Short Intra-aortic Balloon Catheter: A Suitable Option Also for Non-Small-Sized Patients?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Visceral ischemia can be a potentially life-threatening complication of intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) support. A shorter IABP catheter might lead to a reduction of visceral complications. In this animal study, we evaluate the effects of a 35-mL short catheter in comparison with a 40-mL standard-sized catheter.
  
  
  METHODS
  Eighteen healthy swine underwent 120-minute ligation of the left anterior descending coronary artery followed by 6 hours of reperfusion being supported by either a short IABP catheter (short group) (n = 6) or a long IABP catheter (long group) (n = 6) or with no assistance (controls) (n = 6). Hemodynamics, visceral and coronary flows, as well as biochemical markers were evaluated throughout the different phases of the protocol.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Mesenteric flows increased significantly at reperfusion (P < 0.001 both) remaining constant afterward (all, P > 0.05) in the short group, while remaining significantly lower in the long group at the start of reperfusion, remaining constantly lower than the short group and controls (P < 0.001 vs short, P < 0.003 vs controls). In both long and short groups, catheters improved renal flows at reperfusion (P < 0.001 both) without any further variation (P > 0.05). In the short group, the flows were higher during the whole of reperfusion (all, P < 0.05). Intra-aortic balloon pump support improved hemodynamic indices and coronary blood flows during reperfusion to a similar extent in both the small and the long group (P > 0.05).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The short IABP catheter proved to be as effective as the standard-sized catheter in supporting hemodynamics and coronary circulation. Furthermore, it even improves visceral flows in comparison with conventional IABP catheters.
authors.affiliation: From the *Maastricht University Medical Center, Maastricht, the Netherlands; †Careggi Hospital, Florence, Italy; and ‡Department of Cardiothoracic Surgery, University Hospital, Brussels, Belgium.
authors.forename: Sandro
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gelsomino
authors.forename: Pieter Willem
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Lozekoot
authors.forename: Roberto
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lorusso
authors.forename: Monique Maria
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: de Jong
authors.forename: Orlando
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Parise
authors.forename: Francesco
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Matteucci
authors.forename: Fabiana
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Lucà
authors.forename: Narendra
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Kumar
authors.forename: Eshan Sadeghian
authors.initials: ES
authors.lastname: Dehkord
authors.forename: Salvatore Mario
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Romano
authors.forename: Gian Franco
authors.initials: GF
authors.lastname: Gensini
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: La Meir
authors.forename: Josephus Gregorius
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Maessen
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003326:Coronary Circulation / Q000502:physiology*; D006439:Hemodynamics; D007423:Intra-Aortic Balloon Pumping / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000662:veterinary; D023421:Models, Animal; D011897:Random Allocation; D013552:Swine; D014781:Viscera / Q000098:blood supply*