Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta in severely injured patients in the emergency trauma room: a case series

Abstract

Hemorrhage is the cause of death in 30–40% of severely injured patients due to trauma and the most frequent avoidable cause of death. In civilian emergency medical services, the majority of life-threatening hemorrhages are found in incompressible body regions (e.g. abdomen and pelvis). Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) has therefore been discussed in recent years as a lifesaving procedure for temporary bleeding control in multiple trauma patients. Since August 2020 REBOA is implented in the treatment of seriously injured patients in the emergency department of the University Hospital of Bern. In this case series we report on our experiences in all seven patients in whom we performed this procedure during the first year.