To assess the safety of reusing single-use intraaortic balloon devices (IABs), 112 used devices were investigated in terms of physical integrity, gas leakage inspection, mechanical performance, surface chemistry and morphology. and physical stability. These IABs were all used clinically only once, and the duration of the IABs in vivo ranged from 6 to 312 h. Macroscopic examination of the balloons and the outer catheters revealed n o obvious change in either shape or color. No discernible abrasions or cracks were observed on the balloons. However, 61 Yo of the balloons were creased, and 40% of the central lumens and 21% of the sheaths showed visible bending flaws.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.