Resuscitation for an octogenarian with ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm using endovascular balloon.

Ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm is a true emergency for emergency physicians and surgeons. Achieving effective proximal control may ameliorate further hemodynamic deterioration and buy time for patients awaiting further repair. An 82-year-old man was referred to our hospital with shock resulting from a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm. At the moment of impending cardiac arrest, aortic occlusion was achieved with a transfemoral endovascular balloon, without fluoroscopic guidance. The octogenarian then underwent a prosthetic graft reconstruction and recovered well. In this report, the safeguards and pitfalls of aortic occlusion using an endovascular balloon are discussed. This procedure is not only effective in vascular control but also valuable in resuscitation.