Chronic Use of an Intra-Aortic Balloon Pump in Congestive Cardiomyopathy

Congestive dilated cardiomyopathy (CMP) in its clinical form [19] is characterized by a reduction in left ventricular ejection fraction to below 0.40, a distinct enlargement of the heart with increase in the left ventricular enddiastolic volume, and an increase in the cardiothoracic ratio to above 0.50 [7, 13]. Frequently the dilatation of the heart is not confined to the left ventricle, but includes the right as well.