Purpose
This study aimed to evaluate the utilization and outcomes of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) in managing noncompressible torso hemorrhage (NCTH) among trauma patients in Korea. The evolution of REBOA and its impact on patient survival was investigated as well as predictors of mortality.
Methods
This retrospective study included 234 post-REBOA patients from 5 leading regional trauma centers across Korea between 2016 and 2021. Primary outcomes were in-hospital mortality, and secondary outcomes were various clinical parameters regarding REBOA, overall treatment flow, and complications. For comparative analyses, patients were dichotomized into in-hospital non-survivors or survivors. Then, generalized additive and linear regression models were used to evaluate the trend of in-hospital mortality.
Results
The overall in-hospital mortality was 65.4%. The survivors had a higher proportion of responders following REBOA (87.7% vs 62.7%, p < 0.001). Key variables influencing outcomes included total occlusion time, red blood cell transfusion volume within the first 24 hours, revised trauma score, and systolic blood pressure gap. These factors significantly correlated with mortality rates in multivariate logistic regression.
Conclusion
Over 6 years, survival rates for NCTH patients undergoing REBOA in Korea have shown improvement. Despite diverse REBOA protocols across institutions, the results underscore the need for continued research, standardized practices, and national quality control measures to further optimize patient outcome and establish more effective treatment protocols for NCTH.

In abdominal trauma, the liver is the most injured organ and treatment is usually determined by hemodynamics. Severe liver injury with extensive parenchymal injury and uncontrollable bleeding may rapidly evolve into the lethal triad of death (acidosis, hypothermia, and coagulopathy), requiring damage control surgery (DCS). Damage control resuscitation for trauma treatment reduces the need for DCS by enabling rapid control of massive bleeding. Thus, definitive surgery can be completed in one operation. Despite the systematic application of damage control resuscitation, definitive surgery cannot be achieved in severe, and extensive liver injuries. Therefore, understanding, and acquiring damage control surgical techniques is necessary to achieve DCS for severe liver injury. The Western Trauma Association and the World Society of Emergency Surgery have proposed algorithms for the nonoperative and operative management of blunt hepatic trauma. The algorithms list several surgical skills, including electrocautery or argon beam, manual compression, perihepatic packing, the Pringle maneuver, liver suture, omental packing, selective hepatic artery ligation, balloon tamponade, hepatic vascular isolation, and the shunt operation. These techniques require a multidisciplinary approach and individual honing of skills by the surgeon. Trauma surgeons, even hepatobiliary surgeons, must practice damage control techniques in severe liver injury models (animals or cadavers).

Purpose
In the Republic of Korea, the use of trauma centers was recently adopted and is expected to have better outcome for severely injured patients. This study aimed to evaluate the clinical outcomes and treatment methods for unstable pelvic bone fractures in trauma centers.
Methods
The annual number of patients, clinical outcomes, and treatment methods of unstable pelvic bone fractures in three trauma centers from 2016 to 2020 were retrospectively reviewed. The patients were dichotomized into survivors and deceased, and demographic data, treatment, and clinical outcomes were compared. Multivariable analysis was performed to identify the factors associated with survival.
Results
Among 237 patients, 101 (42.6%) were deceased. Mortality was lower in the later period (2019- 2020) compared with the early period (2016-2018; 33.6% vs. 50.0%, p = 0.011). Direct admission of an increasing number of patients to trauma centers reduced prehospital time. Although the use of angioembolization in treating pelvic bone fracture (p < 0.001), and the use of other treatment methods did not change significantly (2016-2020). Lower age, lowest systolic blood pressure in the trauma bay, and higher lactate level, international normalized ratio, the amount of packed red blood cell transfusion at 24 hours were positively associated with mortality in the multivariate analysis.
Conclusion
Increasingly more patients with unstable pelvic bone fracture were admitted to trauma centers; mortality improved. Angioembolization increased significantly and multi-disciplinary modality for early bleeding control was still essential.

Citations

• Young–Burgess Classification of Pelvic Ring Fractures as a Diagnostic Tool to Predict Vascular Injury Patterns and Targeted Embolization: A 10-Year Retrospective Study of Patients at a Single Regional Trauma Center in South Korea
  Dae Hee Lee, Seong Wook Kim, Ki-Choul Kim
  Hip & Pelvis.2025; 37(4): 321.     CrossRef
• Early experience with resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta for unstable pelvic fractures in the Republic of Korea: a multi-institutional study
  Dong Hun Kim, Jonghwan Moon, Sung Wook Chang, Byung Hee Kang
  European Journal of Trauma and Emergency Surgery.2023; 49(6): 2495.     CrossRef

Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) is an effective resuscitative modality to temporize noncompressible truncal hemorrhage. Confirming the proper position of the balloon catheter in the target aortic zone is vital. Currently, there is a need for nonradiographical methods. This would overcome the drawbacks of conventional imaging modalities, such as fluoroscopy. Several studies have suggested ultrasound-guided visualization via subxiphoid, transperitoneal, or transesophageal views as an alternative to conventional imaging methods. However, such views are easily obscured in emergency settings. Herein, we report the case of a 70-year-old patient who was successfully resuscitated by REBOA under the guidance of transsplenic ultrasound. REBOA was safely performed using transsplenic visualization without fluoroscopy.

Citations

• Resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta in abdominal trauma: zone-specific outcomes and predictors of mortality
  Musaed Rayzah, Nasser A. N. Alzerwi, Bandar Idrees, Ahmed A. Alhumaid, Yaser Baksh, Fares Rayzah
  International Journal of Emergency Medicine.2026;[Epub]     CrossRef

Bladder injury is uncommon in blunt abdominal trauma. The injury can be life-threatening if not treated properly. Thus, timely and accurate diagnosis is critical. Traumatic intraperitoneal bladder rupture (TIBR) can be managed laparoscopically in patients who are hemodynamically stable. In this case series, we present 3 patients who underwent laparoscopic repair of TIBR performed by a single surgeon. In addition, we address useful technical tips that would facilitate the generalized use of laparoscopy for treating TIBR.

Citations

• Bladder trauma: a guideline of the guidelines
  Deshin Reddy, Abdullah E. Laher, Maeyane Moeng, Ahmed Adam
  BJU International.2024; 133(4): 365.     CrossRef