CTICasesIatrogenic Aortic Injury from Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump (IABP)
Imaging findings
Serial chest radiographs show progressive left para-aortic mediastinal widening, loss of the aortopulmonary window, and rightward deviation of the trachea following the placement of an intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP). A subsequent chest CT reveals a large mediastinal hematoma surrounding the descending thoracic aorta and a small focal aortic wall defect or dissection entry point.
Key takeaways
Aortic perforation or dissection is a rare and potentially catastrophic iatrogenic complication of intra-aortic balloon counterpulsation. It can occur during device placement or from mechanical wall trauma during balloon cycling. Rapid recognition of widening mediastinal contours on radiographs is critical, and treatment typically requires endovascular stent-graft repair.
AI-assisted summary — may contain errors. Verify against the source video. Learn more
More from this webinar
- Thalassemia with Extramedullary HematopoiesisMetabolic
- Traumatic Aortic TransectionTrauma
- Pulmonary CoccidioidomycosisInfection
- Surfactant Protein C Mutation-Associated Pulmonary FibrosisILD
- Spontaneous Coronary Artery Dissection (SCAD)Vascular
- Post-Lobectomy Pulmonary Vein Stump ThrombusVascular
- Pulmonary ActinomycosisInfection
- Invasive Pulmonary AspergillosisInfection
See all cases from August 13, 2021 →
Related Iatrogenic cases
- Accidental Right Subclavian Artery Catheterization
- Pacemaker Lead Displacement by Jugular Catheter
- Malpositioned Tracheostomy Tube
- Accidental Subclavian Artery Cannulation and Retrograde Aortic Catheterization
- Malpositioned Left Axillary Intra-aortic Balloon Pump
- Coronary Artery Pseudoaneurysm Post-PCI