Combined, converted, and prophylactic use of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta for severe torso trauma: a retrospective study

INTRODUCTION: Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is used as an intra‐aortic balloon occlusion in Japan; however, protocols for its effective use in different conditions have not been established. This study aimed to summarize the strategies of REBOA use in severe torso trauma. METHODS: Twenty‐nine cases of REBOA for torso trauma treated at our hospital over 5 years were divided into hemodynamically unstable (HU) (n = 12), cardiac arrest (CA) (n = 13), and hemodynamically stable (HS) (n = 4) groups. We retrospectively examined patient characteristics, trauma mechanism, injury site, severity score, intervention type, and survival rates at 24 h in each group. RESULTS: In the HU group, 9 and 3 patients survived and died within 24 h, respectively; time to intervention (56.6 versus 130.7 min, P = 0.346) tended to be shorter and total occlusion time (40.2 versus 337.7 min, P = 0.009) was significantly shorter in survivors than in nonsurvivors. In the CA group, 10 patients were converted from resuscitative thoracotomy with aortic cross‐clamp (RTACC); one patient survived. All four patients in the HS group survived, having received prophylactic REBOA. CONCLUSION: The efficacy of REBOA for severe torso trauma depends on the patient's condition. If the patients are hemodynamically unstable, time to intervention and total occlusion time could correlate with survival. The combined use of REBOA with definitive hemostasis could improve outcomes. Conversion from RTACC in the cardiac arrest patients and prophylactic use in the hemodynamically stable patients can be one of the potentially effective options, although further studies are needed.