Aortic balloon buys crucial time to save teenager with pelvic bleeding

A 16-year-old in Taiwan is recovering after an emergency aortic balloon procedure gave surgeons enough time to stop catastrophic internal bleeding caused by a fall from roughly five storeys.

The teenager arrived at Tri-Service General Hospital in shock in early August, with extremely low blood pressure, a severe pelvic fracture and extensive bleeding. Because bleeding deep within the pelvis cannot be controlled by pressing on an external wound, the trauma team used a pelvic binder and a rapid transfusion system to replace blood and stabilize him.

Doctors then performed resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta, known as REBOA. They inserted a balloon catheter through the femoral artery and inflated it inside the aorta above the bleeding site. This temporarily reduced blood flow to the injured area while preserving limited circulation to vital organs including the heart and brain.

The intervention created an estimated 30 to 40-minute window for the surgical and anaesthesia teams to prepare and complete definitive treatment. The operation was successful, and the teenager is now reported to be recovering well and undergoing rehabilitation.

REBOA is only a temporary measure. Prolonged blockage can increase the risk of tissue damage from inadequate blood supply, so it must be followed quickly by surgery or another method that permanently controls the bleeding.