Determination of optimal deployment strategy for REBOA in patients with non-compressible hemorrhage below the diaphragm ======================================================================================================================= * Nicholas L Johnson * Charles E Wade * Erin E Fox * David E Meyer * Charles J Fox * Ernest E Moore * Jonathan Morrison * Thomas Scalea * Eileen M Bulger * Kenji Inaba * Bryan C Morse * Laura J Moore ## Abstract **Background** Non-compressible truncal hemorrhage (NCTH) is the leading cause of preventable death after trauma. Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) achieves temporary hemorrhage control, supporting cardiac and cerebral perfusion prior to definitive hemostasis. Aortic zone selection algorithms vary among institutions. We evaluated the efficacy of an algorithm for REBOA use. **Methods** A multicenter prospective, observational study conducted at six level 1 trauma centers over 12 months. Inclusion criteria were age >15 years with evidence of infradiaphragmatic NCTH needing emergent hemorrhage control within 60 min of ED arrival. An algorithm characterized by the results of focused assessment with sonography in trauma and pelvic X-ray was assessed post hoc for efficacy in a cohort of patients receiving REBOA. **Results** Of the 8166 patients screened, 78 patients had a REBOA placed. 21 patients were excluded, leaving 57 patients for analysis. The algorithm ensures REBOA deployment proximal to hemorrhage source to control bleeding in 98.2% of cases and accurately predicts the optimal REBOA zone in 78.9% of cases. If the algorithm was violated, bleeding was optimally controlled in only 43.8% (p=0.01). Three (75.0%) of the patients that received an inappropriate zone 1 REBOA died, two from multiple organ failure (MOF). All three patients that died with an inappropriate zone 3 REBOA died from exsanguination. **Discussion** This algorithm ensures proximal hemorrhage control and accurately predicts the primary source of hemorrhage. We propose a new algorithm that will be more inclusive. A zone 3 REBOA should not be performed when a zone 1 is indicated by the algorithm as 100% of these patients exsanguinated. MOF, perhaps from visceral ischemia in patients with an inappropriate zone 1 REBOA, may have been prevented with zone 3 placement or limited zone 1 occlusion time. **Level of evidence** Level III. * hemorrhage * control * algorithm * aorta ## Introduction Severe hemorrhage remains the leading cause of preventable mortality in trauma patients.1–5 Non-compressible truncal hemorrhage (NCTH) is associated with an exceptionally high mortality rate; up to 85% in the military setting and approaching 50% in civilian patients.6 7 Patients with NCTH and subsequent hemorrhagic shock require rapid hemodynamic intervention to control bleeding and replace blood volume, while maintaining appropriate perfusion of vital organs in order to prevent exsanguination, terminal dysrhythmia and death. Research shows that resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is feasible and effective as a hemorrhage temporizing maneuver to rapidly increase cardiopulmonary and cerebral perfusion, slow bleeding and serve as a bridge to definitive hemorrhage control in the operating room or interventional radiology suite.8–11 The current clinical algorithm for REBOA utilization in the USA calls for selective placement of the balloon in either zone 1 (thoracic aorta) for patients with presumed intra-abdominal or retroperitoneal hemorrhage or zone 3 (infrarenal aorta) in patients with presumed hemorrhage arising from the pelvis (see figure 1).12 13 Currently in Japan, where REBOA is an established form of intervention for patients with NCTH, the standard practice is to place the REBOA catheter in zone 1 despite the location of suspected hemorrhage.14 Aortic zone selection strategies vary among institutions, without consensus on the most effective algorithm for use. This study aims to optimize early decision-making regarding aortic zone selectivity in patients receiving REBOA. The objective of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of the aortic zone selection algorithm, depicted in figure 1, post hoc using ER-REBOA catheter (Prytime Medical, Boerne, Texas, USA) prospective data collected at major US trauma centers. ![Figure 1](http://tsaco.bmj.com/https://tsaco.bmj.com/content/tsaco/6/1/e000660/F1.medium.gif) [Figure 1](http://tsaco.bmj.com/content/6/1/e000660/F1) Figure 1 Aortic zones of deployment and current resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) algorithm. CXR, chest X-ray; FAST, focused assessment with sonography in trauma; SBP, systolic blood pressure. ## Methods ### Study design This study evaluates the efficacy of a popularly used REBOA algorithm with regard to proximal hemorrhage control and accuracy of optimal zone prediction, post hoc, in a cohort of patients receiving REBOA from an original prospective, observational study. The algorithm is characterized by the results of focused assessment with sonography in trauma (FAST) and pelvic X-ray. Patients were excluded if there was no FAST exam, an indeterminate FAST exam, a positive cardiac FAST or unknown primary bleeding source. Outcomes were then assessed as to whether the algorithm was followed. The original prospective, observational study was conducted at six US level 1 trauma centers from 31 May 2017 to 15 June 2018. Inclusion criteria of the original study included: (1) age 15 years or older; (2) evidence of truncal hemorrhage arising below the diaphragm in which the decision for emergent truncal hemorrhage control intervention (operative or endovascular) was made within 60 min of emergency department (ED) arrival and (3) presentation to one of the participating level 1 trauma centers at highest activation level. Prisoners were excluded. Although data were collected on all patients meeting eligibility criteria and included varying hemorrhage control interventions, this descriptive post hoc data analysis includes only patients receiving REBOA. The zones of aortic occlusion are defined as follows: zone 1 is from the branch of the left subclavian artery to the celiac artery, zone 2 is from the celiac artery to the renal arteries and zone 3 is from the renal arteries to the aortic bifurcation. Zones 1 and 3 are the preferred zones of occlusion, while zone 2 is considered to be a no occlusion zone. Proximal hemorrhage control was defined in this study as REBOA deployment between the heart and primary hemorrhage source. All data elements of the original study were collected prospectively using direct observation. Of the 8166 patients screened for enrollment during the original study period, 78 patients had a zone 1 or zone 3 REBOA placed. We acknowledge the possibility of selection bias in that the patients presenting to each of our six level 1 trauma centers involved in the study may be more severely injured and face greater mortality risk than the average trauma patient presenting at other institutions. In order to reduce the effect of this possible bias on our study, we have chosen to exclude patients that meet certain criteria that may represent those with potentially unsalvageable injuries. In addition, we have chosen to exclude patients, based on per-protocol analysis, which cannot be appropriately assessed with regard to the algorithm in question. Twenty-one of these patients were excluded for having any of the following characteristics: no FAST exam (five patients), an indeterminate FAST exam (seven patients), a positive cardiac FAST (three patients) or unknown primary bleeding source (nine patients). Although the FAST exam is typically performed with a cardiac view as a single component of the entire exam, we thought it pertinent to specifically identify patients that had a positive FAST in the cardiac view due to inapplicability of the algorithm being assessed in the setting of hemorrhage above the diaphragm. The patients with an unknown primary bleeding source includes patients died prior to surgery and patients the attending surgeon indicated had an unknown primary bleeding source during/after surgery. Primary bleeding source was an explicit data point provided by the attending surgeons of the original study that we used in our post hoc analysis. The remaining 57 patients are the subject of the following post hoc analysis. ### Data management and statistical analysis Study data from the original study were collected and managed using REDCap 23 and analyzed using JMP software, V.15 (SAS Institute, Cary, North Carolina, USA). Medians and IQR as well as proportions were calculated to summarize REBOA utilization, patient characteristics and outcomes. First, we separated the final post hoc study population into zone 1 and zone 3 REBOA groups. Then, we further subdivided those groups based on whether or not the algorithm was followed. Comparisons were made within each zone of REBOA deployment based on whether the algorithm was followed or violated (ie, zone 1, algorithm followed vs zone 1, algorithm violated). The subgroup characteristics and outcomes were tested at the p<0.05 level using the Wilcoxon rank-sum test for all continuous data and the Fisher’s exact test (0