The Dirty Truth About Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta: A Descriptive Analysis of Infection...

Introduction: Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) has become a viable alternative to open aortic occlusion for hemorrhage control. It is often performed without maximal barrier precautions, and sterility is not consistently ensured. As REBOA usage increases, a knowledge gap exists in its infectious risks. We sought to characterize the type and incidence of infectious complications in patients undergoing REBOA. Patients and Methods: A retrospective review of all REBOA patients at an urban, American College of Surgeons-verified Level I Trauma Center was conducted from November 2016 to September 2023. The trauma registry was queried for all patients who underwent REBOA placement. Data pertaining to patient demographics and infectious complications were obtained for descriptive analysis. The medical record was then examined for the source of bacteremia and other infectious complications. Patients who did not survive beyond hospital day two were excluded. Results: Seventy patients met the inclusion criteria. The median age was 40.3 years (IQR 29.5), and patients were predominantly male (72.8%). The overall mortality rate was 19.1%. Among all patients, 37% (n = 26) developed pneumonia, 17% (n = 12) had a deep or organ-space surgical site infection (SSI), and 12.8% (n = 9) had a blood stream infection. None were bacteremic within 48 hours of REBOA placement. All blood stream infections could be associated with concurrent infections such as intra-abdominal sepsis, pneumonia, or soft tissue infection. No SSIs were identified at the site of vascular access. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrate a modest rate of infectious complications among patients undergoing REBOA placement, comparable with published historical data, but no evidence to suggest infectious complications directly related to REBOA placement. Although limited by small sample size and single-institution experience, this study serves as one of the first studies to describe the infection rates in patients undergoing REBOA. Further prospective multi-center studies are required to evaluate the true infectious risks associated with REBOA.