Internal Shunt Sheath for IABP to Maintain the Lower Limb Perfusion / 日本心臓血管外科学会雑誌

ABSTRACT

IABP has been widely used as a circulatory assist device since introduction of the percutaneous insertion method. However, vascular complications associated with IABP have remained a high incidence. We developed a new sheath for IABP insertion to maintain the lower limb perfusion in the patients with tortuous or stenotic iliofemoral arteries. The new sheath has an internal diameter of 12Fr, an outer diameter of 14Fr and has 10 side holes which serve as an internal shunt. The new sheath used for IABP presented good lower limb perfusion in three patients with tortuous or stenotic iliac arteries who presented limb ischemia with an ordinary IABP sheath. The internal shunt sheath may also be useful for diagnosis of lower limb perfusion by injection of contrast medium into a side port of the sheath in cases of leg ischemia suspected after insertion of IABP.