Continuous internal counterpulsation as a bridge to recovery in acute and chronic heart failure

Table 3 Potential roles of long-term intra-aortic balloon pump support in chronic heart failure

Improves patients’ clinical status and their hemodynamic indices, rendering them suitable candidates for heart transplantation (BTT)

Improves RV functionality and peripheral organ function, increasing the candidacy rates of patients who are illegible for additional mechanical interventions (BTC)

Enhances native LV functional performance and unloads LV while maintaining its integrity, promoting reverse remodeling and cardiac recovery (BTR)

BTT: Bridge to transplantation; LV: Left ventricular; RV: Right ventricular.