Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon occlusion of the Aorta in patients in danger of hemorrhagic shock: experience in a Latin American trauma center

Abstract

Introduction: Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA) is a procedure that involves placement of an endovascular balloon in the aorta to obtain proximal control of hemorrhage. We hypothesize that the REBOA can be used as an emergent maneuver for the management of patients with hemorrhagic shock and as a prophylactic intervention to prevent the appearance of massive hemorrhage in populations at risk. Methods: Data were collected from a prospective cohort of patients in the period between 2014 and 2018, at a level I trauma center in Southwestern Colombia. The data was presented according to their distribution of normality, in means and standard deviations or medians and interquartile ranges. Results: Seventy patients were included, 27 considered at risk of hemorrhagic shock (pregnant women with abnormal placentation) and 43 with hemorrhagic shock (trauma patients undergoing surgery and REBOA). In the first group, no patient required massive transfusion and no deaths were reported. In the latter, there was a significant increase in blood pressure [SBP pre-REBOA: 50.1 ± 22.5, post-REBOA SBP: 107 (87-129)] and mortality was 30.2%. Conclusion: Our experience in the use of REBOA is the largest reported in Latin America. This is an effective tool for the management of patients at or at risk of hemorrhagic shock.