IABP PHYSICS: SCROLL COMPRESSOR, SOLENOID VALVE, SAFETY DISC, FIBEROPTIC SENSOR.
The intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) operates by inflating and deflating a balloon synchronized with the cardiac cycle.
The balloon is connected to a catheter, which is linked to a compressor generating positive and negative pressure.
Helium is the preferred gas due to its low viscosity, facilitating rapid inflation and deflation.
Early
IABP models used a piston compressor, but modern versions employ a
scroll compressor, offering advantages such as improved efficiency,
reduced noise, lower mechanical failure rates, and a more compact size.
The
scroll compressor functions by creating two pressure zones—negative at
the inlet and positive at the outlet—by moving an orbiting scroll within
a fixed scroll.
The system transmits pressure through tubes to a plunger, which displaces helium, inflating and deflating the balloon.
Learn more in the following video: