Dynamic Aortic Pressure Augmentation as a Novel Method of Swine Terminal Blood Extraction

Uncontrolled hemorrhage models require sufficient quantities of donor blood products to support resuscitation. To that end, we describe a novel method of whole blood extraction from donor swine using resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) to support hemodynamics during terminal blood extraction and its impact on the quality of banked blood.

Ten adult Yorkshire-cross swine were anesthetized and instrumented with an REBOA catheter, femoral multistage venous cannula, and proximal/distal blood pressure monitoring. Hemodynamics during terminal blood extraction was supported with hand-titrated partial REBOA. Blood samples were taken at set time points for analysis.

The median collected blood volume was 3912 mL, with all animals surviving through the planned blood collection of 60% estimated total blood volume (ETBV). Median lactate and potassium levels remained within normal limits for swine through collection of 40% of the ETBV. Median hemoglobin through collection of 40% ETBV did not significantly change from values measured at the start of hemorrhage.

This method of whole blood extraction provided sufficient blood volume and blood quality appropriate for transfusion through 40% ETBV, with remaining collected blood likely still acceptable for allogeneic transfusion despite increased lactate levels. This method of whole blood extraction can efficiently provide a large volume of quality blood to support resuscitation for subsequent uncontrolled hemorrhage models.