Evaluation of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta catheter placement and comparison to resuscitative thoracotomy with aortic clamping in cadaver dogs.

OBJECTIVE:To describe placement of an aortic occlusion catheter in aortic zone 1 (Z1) and aortic zone 3 (Z3) in dogs and to compare time to placement in these zones with and without external chest compressions (ECC). Additional evaluations of time to placement in Z1 with time for resuscitative thoracotomy with aortic clamping (RT-AC) were performed. DESIGN:Prospective ex vivo study. SETTING:University teaching hospital. ANIMALS:Ten canine cadavers. INTERVENTIONS:Ten cadaver dogs were obtained from client donation after euthanasia. Cadavers were randomized to have balloon catheter placement into the right or left femoral artery via cutdown, with or without ECC. The xiphoid was used as an external anatomical landmark for Z1, and the spinous process of the 5th lumbar vertebra was used for Z3. Balloon placement was confirmed with radiography. Time to balloon placement in Z1 and Z3 and time to RT-AC were recorded. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:Median body weight was 23.5 kg (9-40 kg). Median time to Z1 placement was 6.6 minutes (4.6-12.4 minutes) with ECC and 6.9 minutes (3.3-13.1 minutes) without ECC and was not statistically different (P = 0.5). Median time to RT-AC was 1 minute (0.6-1.4 minutes), which was significantly faster than time to balloon placement in Z1 with or without ECC (P = 0.004 and P = 0.002, respectively). CONCLUSIONS:Endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta can be achieved by cutdown with and without ECC, but RT-AC is faster. Successful balloon position in Z1 could be achieved with knowledge of external anatomical landmarks, but landmarks for Z3 need further study.