Avoiding Hazards with Intra-Aortic Balloons

Posted on April 29, 2008

A recent FDA article in the journal Nursing 2007 warns about unsafe practices using intra-aortic balloon pumps. It cites a case where a patient died after the balloon was allowed to remain in the aorta without pumping (to go dormant) for an extended period of time. The article cautions that a balloon being dormant for more than 15 minutes is hazardous, not only because the patient loses valuable cardiac support, but because blood becomes trapped in the folds of the deflated balloon, promoting the formation of clots.

The article contains a number of recommendations to prevent this kind of problem. Here are a few of them:

• When the pump is in use, frequently check that it is working properly, and monitor the patient's physiologic responses to the therapy.

• Replace empty helium tanks within 15 minutes, and keep extra tanks nearby to minimize the time that the balloon is dormant.

• If you cannot restore operation of the pump within 15 minutes, you must manually inflate and deflate the balloon. This should be done every five minutes if possible, and at a minimum, several times an hour. Keep this up until a new pump is in place or the balloon has been removed.

• Pay immediate attention to a helium leak alarm. If you cannot determine the cause of the alarm right away, switch to another pump. If the alarm continues, this could indicate that the balloon has ruptured, which requires that the physician remove it immediately.

Additional Information:

Weil, K. On Guard for Intra-aortic Balloon Pump Problems. Nursing2007, Volume 37 (July), Issue 7, p. 28.
http://www.fda.gov/cdrh/medicaldevicesafety/tipsarticles/balloonpump.html