Prospective evaluation of complications associated with percutaneous intraaortic balloon counterpulsation.

In summary, current, prospective experience with 691 consecutive patients revealed that female gender, peripheral vascular disease, cardiac index, and diabetes were the only independent predictors of risk after percutaneous IAB insertion. Neither sheathless insertion nor smaller IAB catheter size was associated with a lower complication rate. There may be a threshold of catheter size associated with a dramatic reduction in complications. If that exists, it has not yet been reached.