Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta for non-traumatic intra-abdominal hemorrhage.

BACKGROUND: Hemorrhagic shock is the second leading cause of death in blunt trauma and a significant cause of mortality in non-trauma patients. The increased use of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) as a bridge to definitive control for massive hemorrhage has provided promising results in the trauma population. We describe an extension of this procedure to our hemodynamically unstable non-trauma patients. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of patients requiring REBOA for end stage non-traumatic abdominal hemorrhage from our tertiary care facility. After excluding patients with trauma, supradiaphragmatic bleed and thoracic/abdominal aortic aneurysms, demographics, etiology of bleed, REBOA placement specifics, complications and outcomes were reviewed. RESULTS: From August 2013 to August 2016, 11 patients were identified requiring REBOA placement for hemodynamic instability from non-traumatic abdominal hemorrhage. Average patient age was 54.9 (SD 15.2). Sixty-four percent suffered cardiac arrest prior to REBOA, with mean shock index of 1.29. Average time from diagnosis of shock (MAP ≤ 65) or signs of bleeding to placement of REBOA was 177 min. The leading etiologies of hemorrhage were ruptured visceral aneurysm and massive upper gastrointestinal bleed. REBOA was placed by both acute care and vascular surgeons. The procedure was mainly completed in the operating room in 82% of the patients and at the bedside in 18%. One patient expired before operative repair. Definitive surgical control of the source of bleeding was obtained by open surgical approach (n = 6) and combined surgical and endovascular approach (n = 4). In-hospital survival was 64%. There were no local complications related to REBOA placement. CONCLUSION: Similar to the trauma population, REBOA is an adjunctive technique for proximal control of bleeding as well as resuscitation in end stage non-traumatic intra-abdominal hemorrhage. We propose an algorithmic approach to REBOA use in this population and a larger prospective review is necessary to determine both the timing of REBOA placement and which non-traumatic patients may benefit from this technique. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: V. STUDY TYPE: Brief report.

"Second-look" laparotomy: warranted, or contributor to excessive open abdomens?

INTRODUCTION: The overuse of temporary abdominal closure and second look (SL) laparotomy in emergency general surgery (EGS) cases has been questioned in the recent literature. In an effort to hopefully decrease the number of open abdomen (OA) patients, we hypothesize that reviewing our cases, many of these SL patients could be managed with single-stage operative therapy and thus decrease the number of OA patients. METHODS: This is a retrospective review of prospectively collected data from Jun 2013-Jun 2014, evaluating EGS patients managed with an OA who required bowel resection in either index or SL laparotomy. Demographics, clinical variables, complications and mortality were collected. Fisher's exact t test was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: During this time frame, 96 patients were managed with OA and 59 patients required a bowel resection. 55 (57%) of those required one bowel resection at the index operation with 4 (4.2%) only requiring one bowel resection at the second operation. In the patients requiring bowel resections, 18 (30%) required a resection at SL. At SL laparotomy, resection was required for questionably viable bowel at the index operation 60% (11), whereas 39% (7) had normal appearing bowel. Indications for resection at SL laparotomy included evolution of existing ischemia, new onset ischemia, staple line revision, and "other". 23 patients (39%) were hemodynamically unstable, contributing to the need for temporary abdominal closure. In the multivariate analysis, preoperative shock was the only predictor of need for further resection. Complications and mortality were similar in both groups. CONCLUSION: Almost one-fifth of the patients undergoing SL laparotomy for open abdomen required bowel resections, with 6.8% of those having normal appearing bowel at index operation, therefore in select EGS patients, SL laparotomy is a reasonable strategy.

Bringing Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA) Closer to the Point of Injury.

BACKGROUND: The management of noncompressible torso hemorrhage remains a significant issue at the point of injury. Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) has been used in the hospital to control bleeding and bridge patients to definitive surgery. Smaller delivery systems and wirefree devices may be used more easily at the point of injury by nonphysician providers. We investigated whether independent duty military medical technicians (IDMTs) could learn and perform REBOA correctly and rapidly as assessed by simulation. METHODS: US Air Force IDMTs without prior endovascular experience were included. All participants received didactic instruction and evaluation of technical skills. Procedural times and pretest/posttest examinations were administered after completion of all trials. The Likert scale was used to subjectively assess confidence before and after instruction. RESULTS: Eleven IDMTs were enrolled. There was a significant decrease in procedural times from trials 1 to 6. Overall procedural time (± standard deviation) decreased from 147.7 ± 27.4 seconds to 64 ± 8.9 seconds (ρ < .001). There was a mean improvement of 83.7 ± 24.6 seconds from the first to sixth trial (ρ < .001). All participants demonstrated correct placement of the sheath, measurement and placement of the catheter, and inflation of the balloon throughout all trials (100%). There was significant improvement in comprehension and knowledge between the pretest and posttest; average performance improved significantly from 36.4.6% ± 12.3% to 71.1% ± 8.5% (ρ < .001). Subjectively, all 11 participants noted significant improvement in confidence from 1.2 to 4.1 out of 5 on the Likert scale (ρ < .001). CONCLUSION: Technology for aortic occlusion has advanced to provide smaller, wirefree devices, making field deployment more feasible. IDMTs can learn the steps required for REBOA and perform the procedure accurately and rapidly, as assessed by simulation. Arterial access is a challenge in the ability to perform REBOA and should be a focus of further training to promote this procedure closer to the point of injury.

Stop the Bleed: Does the Training Work One Month Out?

The Stop the Bleed initiative empowers and trains citizens as immediate responders, to recognize and control severe hemorrhage. We sought to determine the retention of short-term knowledge and ability to apply a Combat Application Tourniquet (CAT) in 10 nonmedical personnel. A standard "Stop the Bleed" (Bleeding Control) course was taught including CAT application. Posttraining performance was assessed at 30 days using a standardized mannequin with a traumatic below-knee amputation. Technique, time, pitfalls, and feedback were all recorded. No participant had placed a CAT before the initial class. After the initial class, self-report by a Likert scale survey revealed an increased confidence in tourniquet application from 2.4 pretraining to 4.7 posttraining. At 30 days, confidence decreased to 3.4 before testing. Six of 10 were successful at tourniquet placement. Completion time was 77.75 seconds (43-157 seconds). Successful participants reported a confidence level of 4.7 versus those unsuccessful at 3.3. The "Stop the Bleed" initiative teaches lifesaving skills to the public through a short training course. This information regarding the training of nonmedical personnel may assist in strengthening training efforts for the public. Further investigations are needed to characterize skill degradation and retention over time.

Erratum to "Torsion of Hydrosalpinx with Concurrent Acute Cholecystitis: Case Report and Review of Literature".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1155/2016/5424092.].

Torsion of Hydrosalpinx with Concurrent Acute Cholecystitis: Case Report and Review of Literature.

Introduction. Isolated torsion of the Fallopian tube is an uncommon cause of acute lower abdominal pain and can occur in women of all age groups. Cholecystitis is a frequent cause of upper abdominal pain. We present an unusual case with the presence of these two distinct pathological entities occurring concurrently in the same patient, causing simultaneously occurring symptoms. To our knowledge, this is the first reported presentation of such a case. Methods. We describe a 34-year-old premenopausal woman who presented with right sided upper and lower abdominal pain and nausea. Abdominal ultrasound (US) revealed acute cholecystitis. Vaginal US was suggestive of right hydrosalpinx. Intravenous antibiotics were administered and consent was obtained for operative intervention. During laparoscopy, the right Fallopian tube with hydrosalpinx was noted to be twisted three times. The right ovary appeared normal. The gall bladder wall was thickened and inflamed. Laparoscopic right salpingectomy and cholecystectomy were performed. Results. Surgical pathology revealed hydrosalpinx with torsion and acute calculous cholecystitis. The patient had an uneventful postoperative course and was discharged home on the first postoperative day. Her symptoms resolved after the procedure. Conclusions. In women with abdominal pain, both gynecologic and nongynecologic etiologies should be considered in the differential diagnoses. Concurrent presence of symptomatic gynecologic and nongynecologic intra-abdominal pathology is rare. Isolated Fallopian tube torsion is rare and is associated most often with hydrosalpinx. Some torqued Fallopian tubes can be salvaged. Laparoscopy is useful in management of both Fallopian tube torsion and cholecystitis.