Use of Endovascular Balloons may Simplify Proximal and Distal Control in Complicated Vascular Trauma

Abstract

The treatment of vascular injuries remains a significant challenge of modern trauma care. This is particularly true of injuries at challenging anatomic locations or that are complex in nature. The mortality rates from these injuries can be high, despite recent progress in application of damage control management concepts. Developments of endovascular techniques have introduced new alternatives to traditional open repair strategies that may prove useful in the setting of complex vascular injury. The concept of endovascular and hybrid trauma management (EVTM) gains experience which allows replacing traditional principles of open vascular management in selected cases.
 Endovascular modalities, specifically intra-vascular balloon occlusion, offer a novel strategy that may be of particular use in these situations. Our present case presentation outlines an example of successful utilization of this approach and affords an opportunity to review a simplified approach using endovascular balloons as proximal and distal control measures, in order to limit the challenges represented by more extensive anatomic exposures in a victim of trauma.