Use of Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA) as a bridge to endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) in blunt abdominal aortic injury (BAAI).

BAAI is a rare but challenging traumatic lesion. Since BAAI is difficult to suspect and diagnose, frequently lethal and associated to multiorgan injuries, its management is objective of research and discussion. REBOA is an accepted practice in ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. Conversely, blunt aortic injuries are the currently most cited contraindications for the use of REBOA in trauma, together with thoracic lesions. We reported a case of BAAI safely managed in our Trauma Center at Maggiore Hospital in Bologna (Italy) utilizing REBOA as a bridge to endovascular repair, since there were no imminent indications for laparotomy. Despite formal contraindication to placing REBOA in aortic rupture, we hypothesized that this approach could be feasible and relatively safe when introduced in a resuscitative damage control protocol.