EuroSCORE: useful in directing preoperative intra-aortic balloon pump placement in cardiac surgery?

Abstract

Background: The placement of preoperative intra-aortic balloon pumps (IABP) in high-risk patients has been described, although controversy remains regarding the appropriate selection of these patients. The EuroSCORE is a proven predictor of operative mortality for coronary artery bypass surgery (CABG). Our objective was to assess whether patients with a preoperative IABP had a 30-day mortality consistent with their predicted mortality.

Methods: Sixty-sis patients who had had an IABP sited while undergoing CABG were retrospectively identified. The additive EuroSCORE was calculated with omission of the IABP preoperative placement score of 3 points. Patients with a EuroSCORE <5 were considered low risk, and those > or = m5 as high risk.

Results: High-risk patients with preoperative IABP placement had a significantly lower mortality (1/16, 6.25%) than predicted. The predicted versus actual mortality was 12.6% versus 6.25%.

Conclusion: Correct identification of appropriate patients who would benefit from pre-emptive placement of IABP could potentially be performed using the EuroSCORE.