Patient came to unit from the cardiac cath lab after placement of an intra-aortic balloon pump (iabp).Within 20 minutes of arrival to the unit, the pump started alarming "iab optical sensor failure." troubleshooting included unplugging and replugging the orange fiber optic cable with no resolution of alarm., was unable to get any pressure wave form or numbers for augmented pressure/assisted pressures, heart rate, etc.Switched out the actual balloon pump machine and fiber optic cable, helium tubing, bs ekg cables switched over to new pump.Same alarm of "iab optical sensor failure" continues.Called the perfusion tech on call who called the maquet representative.Troubleshooting phone call from representative included hooking up a manual arterial line pressure transducer to the machine to get a pressure waveform, as there were no waveforms on the screen other than ekg.Iabp started alarming "unable to update timing" after manual pressure cable was connected and zeroed.Iabp continues to alarm "unable to update timing every one minute or so." pump turned to manual per doctor to diminish alarm problem.The next morning, the iabp was placed in semi-auto mode and it did not alarm at all in regards to "unable to update timing so the nurse left it in semi-auto mode.The manual pressure transducer was still connected.Iabp mean in the 80-90's, wave form shows late inflation due to iabp optical sensor failure.Cardiologist pulled back slightly on the catheter for possible kink in the line.Wave form looks slightly better.Determined the root cause that most likely it is an issue with a kinked/damaged fiber optic tip on the catheter itself.Patient underwent aortic to coronary bypass graft the next am.The catheter was removed one day post op.The catheter was saved after removal and will be returned to the manufacturer for inspection upon their request.
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