Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) as an adjunct for hemorrhagic shock.

Temporary occlusion of the aorta as an operative method to increase proximal or central perfusion to the heart and brain in the setting of shock is not new.1 Resuscitative aortic occlusion with a balloon was reported as early as the Korean War and has been described in more recent publications.2–5 Despite potential advantages over thoracotomy with aortic clamping, resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) for trauma has not been widely adopted. Broader application of this procedure may have lagged because of latent technology, a poorly understood skill set, or anticipated ineffectiveness of the technique. However, the recent evolution of endovascular technology and its clear benefit in managing vascular disease such as ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm suggest that a reappraisal of this technique for trauma is needed. The objective of this report is to provide a technical description of REBOA. To simplify, this maneuver can be considered in the following five steps each with specific procedural considerations (Table 1):