Intra-aortic balloon pump protects against hydrostatic pulmonary oedema during peripheral venoarterial-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation

BACKGROUND: Increased left ventricular afterload during peripheral venoarterial-extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) support frequently causes hydrostatic pulmonary oedema. Because physiological studies demonstrated left ventricular afterload decrease during VA-ECMO assistance combined with the intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP), we progressively changed our standard practice systematically to associate an IABP with VA-ECMO. This study aimed to evaluate IABP efficacy in preventing pulmonary oedema in VA-ECMO-assisted patients. METHODS: A retrospective single-centre study. RESULTS: patients, propensity score matched for receiving an IABP. CONCLUSIONS: Associating an IABP with peripheral VA-ECMO was independently associated with a lower frequency of hydrostatic pulmonary oedema and more days off mechanical ventilation under ECMO.