Between May, 1994 and December, 1995, 122 adult cardiac surgical procedures requiring cardiopulmonary bypa s were performed at Kang Dong Sacred Heart Hospital, including 18 cases(14.8%) that were associated with preoperative(n:9), intraoperative(n=7), postoperative(n:2) use of an IABP (intra-aortic balloon pump). The reasons for IABP were low cardiac output and PTCA(percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty) failure in preoperative period, CPB(cardiopulmonary bypass) weaning difficulty in intraoperative period, and intractable arrhythmia in postoperative period. The mean age of the IABP patients was 61.8 $pm$ 6.9 years(range, 39 to 75years). The overall hospital mortalities in patients with preoperative and intraoperative IABP insertion were 3 and 42.9% respectively. Two patients with postoperative IABP insertion are alive. The rate of IABP weaning is 66.7% for preoperative group, 85.7% for intraoperative group and 100% for postoperative group . In conclusion, if there were no irreversible myocardial damages, IABP could be used safely and emergently at any perioperative period for hemo ynamic stability, CPB weaning, and to overcome low cardiac output syndrome.