The future of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion in combat operations.
Journal of the Royal Army Medical Corps · 2017-08-09 · Other / unclear
Abstract
Damage control resuscitation and early thoracotomy have been used to increase survival after severe injury in combat. There has been a renewed interest in resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) in both civilian and military medical practices. REBOA may result in visceral and limb ischaemia that could be harmful if use of REBOA is premature or prolonged. The purpose of this paper is to align our experience of combat injuries with the known capability of REBOA to suggest an implementation strategy for the use of REBOA in combat care. It may replace the resuscitative effect of thoracotomy; can provide haemostasis of non-compressible torso injuries such as the junctional and pelvic haemorrhage caused by improvised explosive devices. However, prehospital use of REBOA must be in the context of an overall surgical plan and should be restricted to deployment in the distal aorta. Although REBOA is technically easier than a thoracotomy, it requires operator training and skill to add to the beneficial effect of damage control resuscitation and surgery.
Abstract © the authors or publisher, via PubMed. Reuse and removal
Tags
Implementation · Military & tactical · REBOA · Resuscitative thoracotomy
Related articles
- Use of Zone 1 REBOA in Deployed U.S. Military Settings Is Associated With Improved Survival to Next Role of Care. (Mil Med, 2026)
- Abdominal aortic junctional tourniquet (AAJT-S): a systematic review of utility in military practice. (BMJ Mil Health, 2025)
- Advanced bleeding control in combat casualty care: An international, expert-based Delphi consensus. (J Trauma Acute Care Surg, 2022)
- A contemporary report on US military guidelines for the use of whole blood and resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta. (J Trauma Acute Care Surg, 2019)
- Advanced Resuscitative Care in Tactical Combat Casualty Care: TCCC Guidelines Change 18-01:14 October 2018. (J Spec Oper Med, 2018)
- The U.S. Armed Services Blood Program support to U.S. Central Command 2014-2021: Transformation of combat trauma resuscitation through blood product innovation and expansion of blood availability far forward. (Transfusion, 2022)