Balloon occlusion of the aorta during cardiac arrest -a death blow to the intestines?

Abstract Background The use of Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA) in non-traumatic cardiac arrest may result in worsened intestinal ischaemia. What are the consequences? Main text Human data on REBOA in non-traumatic cardiac arrest is limited. In general, cardiac outpu...

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Main Authors: Bjørn Hoftun Farbu, Jostein Brede
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: BMC 2025-02-01
Series:Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine
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Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-025-01321-6
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author Bjørn Hoftun Farbu
Jostein Brede
author_facet Bjørn Hoftun Farbu
Jostein Brede
author_sort Bjørn Hoftun Farbu
collection DOAJ
description Abstract Background The use of Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA) in non-traumatic cardiac arrest may result in worsened intestinal ischaemia. What are the consequences? Main text Human data on REBOA in non-traumatic cardiac arrest is limited. In general, cardiac output is reduced during resuscitation, and mesenteric blood flow may be further reduced by intravenous adrenaline (epinephrine). Balloon occlusion of the thoracic aorta will potentially lead to a complete cessation of intestinal blood flow. Experimental studies demonstrate that intestinal damage increases with REBOA inflation time, and that 45–60 min of ischaemia may result in irreversible damage. However, it is unclear when intestinal ischaemia starts to affect patient-oriented outcomes. A barrier for assessing the consequences of intestinal ischemia is that it is a challenge to diagnose. A biomarker for intestinal injury, Intestinal Fatty Acid Binding Protein (IFABP), was elevated in all cardiac arrest patients and had a striking association with mortality in one study. In another study, all patients with intestinal ischemia diagnosed on CT died. However, intestinal ischemia could be a marker of whole-body ischemia and not an independent contributor to poor outcome. The clinical importance of worsened intestinal ischemia by REBOA during cardiac arrest is not established. Conclusion The impact of intestinal ischaemia following cardiac arrest is uncertain, but ischaemia is likely to be exacerbated by REBOA. However, inflation of the balloon will occur when the patient is still in cardiac arrest and is a means to achieve ROSC. Hence, we argue that the added intestinal ischaemia caused by REBOA may be of limited clinical importance, but this is still to be answered.
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spelling doaj-art-d798e73675104045b46f20cd0e868bd72025-02-09T12:52:15ZengBMCScandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine1757-72412025-02-013311410.1186/s13049-025-01321-6Balloon occlusion of the aorta during cardiac arrest -a death blow to the intestines?Bjørn Hoftun Farbu0Jostein Brede1Department of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, St. Olav’s University HospitalDepartment of Anaesthesiology and Intensive Care Medicine, St. Olav’s University HospitalAbstract Background The use of Resuscitative Endovascular Balloon Occlusion of the Aorta (REBOA) in non-traumatic cardiac arrest may result in worsened intestinal ischaemia. What are the consequences? Main text Human data on REBOA in non-traumatic cardiac arrest is limited. In general, cardiac output is reduced during resuscitation, and mesenteric blood flow may be further reduced by intravenous adrenaline (epinephrine). Balloon occlusion of the thoracic aorta will potentially lead to a complete cessation of intestinal blood flow. Experimental studies demonstrate that intestinal damage increases with REBOA inflation time, and that 45–60 min of ischaemia may result in irreversible damage. However, it is unclear when intestinal ischaemia starts to affect patient-oriented outcomes. A barrier for assessing the consequences of intestinal ischemia is that it is a challenge to diagnose. A biomarker for intestinal injury, Intestinal Fatty Acid Binding Protein (IFABP), was elevated in all cardiac arrest patients and had a striking association with mortality in one study. In another study, all patients with intestinal ischemia diagnosed on CT died. However, intestinal ischemia could be a marker of whole-body ischemia and not an independent contributor to poor outcome. The clinical importance of worsened intestinal ischemia by REBOA during cardiac arrest is not established. Conclusion The impact of intestinal ischaemia following cardiac arrest is uncertain, but ischaemia is likely to be exacerbated by REBOA. However, inflation of the balloon will occur when the patient is still in cardiac arrest and is a means to achieve ROSC. Hence, we argue that the added intestinal ischaemia caused by REBOA may be of limited clinical importance, but this is still to be answered.https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-025-01321-6REBOAResuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aortaCardiac arrestResuscitationIntestinal ischaemia.
spellingShingle Bjørn Hoftun Farbu
Jostein Brede
Balloon occlusion of the aorta during cardiac arrest -a death blow to the intestines?
Scandinavian Journal of Trauma, Resuscitation and Emergency Medicine
REBOA
Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta
Cardiac arrest
Resuscitation
Intestinal ischaemia.
title Balloon occlusion of the aorta during cardiac arrest -a death blow to the intestines?
title_full Balloon occlusion of the aorta during cardiac arrest -a death blow to the intestines?
title_fullStr Balloon occlusion of the aorta during cardiac arrest -a death blow to the intestines?
title_full_unstemmed Balloon occlusion of the aorta during cardiac arrest -a death blow to the intestines?
title_short Balloon occlusion of the aorta during cardiac arrest -a death blow to the intestines?
title_sort balloon occlusion of the aorta during cardiac arrest a death blow to the intestines
topic REBOA
Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta
Cardiac arrest
Resuscitation
Intestinal ischaemia.
url https://doi.org/10.1186/s13049-025-01321-6
work_keys_str_mv AT bjørnhoftunfarbu balloonocclusionoftheaortaduringcardiacarrestadeathblowtotheintestines
AT josteinbrede balloonocclusionoftheaortaduringcardiacarrestadeathblowtotheintestines