An editorial published in April 2022 discusses the benefits and pitfalls of veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (VA-ECMO) combined with intra-aortic balloon pumps (IABP) to manage CS. The complete manuscript, written by Agam Bansal, Dhiran Verghese, and Sarachandra Vallabhajosyula, can be found in the Journal of the American Heart Association. A summary of the editorial is detailed below.

Cardiogenic shock (CS) is one of the leading causes of in-hospital mortality, second only to acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Reports conclude that between 40,000 and 50,000 individuals are affected by CS in the United States each year. Despite advances in critical cardiovascular care, the 30-day mortality for patients with AMI-CS still lingers around 40%.

Despite the ability of VA-ECMO to offer high cardiac output with biventricular and respiratory support, one of its most significant limitations is retrograde aortic flow and the resulting increase in afterload. For those with CS, this increase in afterload can be harmful.