Intraaortic balloon pump after treatment of anomalous origin of left coronary artery

The same system of intraaortic balloon pumping has been used in 2 infants after surgical repair of anomalous origin of the left coronary artery from the main pulmonary artery. Intraaortic balloon pumping was started in the first patient on the second postoperative day, whereas in the second patient it was started before the patient was weaned from cardiopulmonary bypass. Both patients survived. In the first patient intraaortic balloon pumping improved the low cardiac output, which had failed to respond to maximal inotropic support, whereas in the second it maintained hemodynamic stability. (C) 1998 by The Society of Thoracic Surgeons.