A NEW INSTRUMENT FOR CONTROL OF HEMORRHAGE BY AORTIC COMPRESSION. A PRELIMINARY REPORT

After laparotomy, immediate compression of the aorta with the heel of the hand just above the bifurcation of the common iliac arteries is a quick and effective way of controlling catastrophic pelvic hemorrhage. This maneuver, which can be maintained for several hours without any harmful sequelae, enables the surgeon to remove the blood from the peritoneal cavity and take definitive steps to stop the bleeding, and the loss of administered blood is halted. An instrument for aortic compression is described which is easily applied to the aorta; it is controlled by a handle outside the abdomen and does not obstruct the operative field. It has been found to be valuable, not only in the control of serious pelvic hemorrhage, but also in pelvic surgery where considerable blood loss is anticipated.