51 – Proximal Balloon Occlusion for Cardiac Arrest

You've heard of ECMO for cardiac arrest- utilizing a mechanical pump to aid in perfusion of the coronaries.  What if you can't do ECMO?  What if your resources are such that simply can't lug a 10 kilogram machine out into the field?  Well, Jostein Brede may have something for you to consider.  He and several other places worldwide are on the forefront of using a REBOA catheter to occlude the proximal aorta during chest compressions in hopes that coronary perfusion pressure increases.  This would subsequently improve chance of return of spontaneous circulation and overall survivorship.  Maybe this is the band-aid that can be used in austere environments like rural Norway where the temperatures are extreme, the people are sparse, but the physicians are motivated.