Transbrachial balloon catheter tamponade of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysms without fluoroscopic control.

The advantages of the transbrachial intra-aortic balloon include preoperative control of hypotension with promptly improved coronary, cerebral, renal, lumbar and hepatic perfusion and control of blood pressure during the induction of anesthesia. The abdomen can then be entered without further hemodynamic decompensation. Careful dissection is facilitated by a drier field and palpation of the balloon in the aorta. These advantages were realized in this series of patients without delay in the operative procedure. The low incidence of organ failure in the three surviving patients, all of whom were in a high risk group, attest to the efficacy of the transbrachial balloon in correcting hypotension perioperatively.