Table 1.

Clinical and logistic factors to guide between CathLab and bedside approach

Factors favoring CathLab IABP insertion	Factors favoring bedside IABP insertion
ACS etiology/need of ICA/need of EMB	ADHF etiology
Inadequate aorta visualization on TTE/TEE	Complex CathLab transfer: ongoing CRRT, ongoing VA‐ECMO, invasive hemodynamic monitoring, NIMV‐dependency
Common femoral artery diameter <5 mm at bedside ultrasound
Known severe aortic/iliac/femoral disease	Mechanical ventilation allowing for preferred TEE guidance
Previous aortic/iliac/femoral vascular surgery/stenting	Unstable patient requiring emergent implant (≤30 min)

Abbreviations: ACS, acute coronary syndrome; ADHF, acute decompensated heart failure; IABP, intra‐aortic balloon pump; ICA, invasive coronary angiography; CRRT, continuous renal replacement therapy; EMB, endomyocardial biopsy; NIMV, noninvasive mask ventilation; TTE, transthoracic echocardiography; TEE, transesophageal echocardiography; VA‐ECMO, veno‐arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation.