The intra-aortic balloon pump operates by inflating during diastole, displacing blood from the descending aorta, and then deflating just before systole, creating a temporary void in the aorta.
This mechanism generates its hemodynamic effects, which primarily aim to enhance coronary blood flow, improve systemic perfusion, reduce afterload and left ventricular end-diastolic pressure, and consequently lower cardiac workload, and augments the stroke volume.
This 3d model illustrates the functional mechanism of the intra-aortic balloon pump, which operates through a precise timing of inflation and deflation.
For more information about iabp operation, we invite you to watch our video on iabp physics. The link can be found in the description.
We will now explain in detail each of the hemodynamic effects of the intra-aortic balloon pump
Diastolic augmentation.
When the heart relaxes initiating the diastole, the balloon inflates, causing diastolic augmentation that leads to the following effects:
Increased coronary perfusion:
The inflation pushes blood back towards the heart, increasing blood flow to the coronary arteries.
Coronary perfusion occurs mainly during diastole, as myocardial relaxation allows unimpeded blood flow through the coronary vasculature, improving perfusion; in this part of the cardiac cycle is when the iabp inflates; this way inflation causes a rise in the aortic pressure that causes an increase in the coronary pressure gradient and therefore increases coronary flow.
This effect has already been demonstrated in well-established studies of cardiac physiology…
Learn more in this video:
Tags: IABP, diastolic augmentation, coronary perfusion, afterload, pv loop, intra-aortic balloon pump, cardiac support device, mechanical circulatory support, counterpulsation, hemodynamic support, cardiovascular physiology, medical animation, cardiac assist devices.
