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patient with presumed pelvic-fracture hemorrhagic shock after technology correctly and in the right circumstance. This study
falling 15m onto concrete. This patient successfully survived demonstrates that IDMTs can learn and retain the technical
to the hospital and underwent angioembolization and ortho- capabilities to perform REBOA. Additional research is needed
pedic surgery. The patient was discharged on hospital day 52. 9 to evaluate the feasibility and reproducibility of this interven-
tion under high stress and austere circumstances.
Our sample of IDMTs underwent simulator training for
REBOA placement after didactic training, similar to the Disclaimer
acute care surgeon cohort reported on by Brenner et al. Even The views expressed in this article are those of the authors and
7
though acute care surgeons from the University of Maryland do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of the
have considerable experience with hemorrhage, as well as line Air Force, the Army, the Department of Defense, or the US
placement and some endovascular training, the IDMT group Government.
from our study had similar improvements in knowledge and
task time, showing that the technique can be taught to a group Funding
of motivated, skilled individuals. 7 This study was funded in part by a clinical grant from the
Department of Defense.
Task training to acquire a new skill set has been reviewed by
several studies. Aggarwal et al. evaluated novice and experi- Disclosure
10
enced endovascular surgeons with interventions using simula- MB is on the Clinical Advisory Board of Prytime Medical Inc.
tion. They noted that after six sessions, the novice participants The other authors have no financial relationships relevant to
improved markedly and achieved scores similar to those of the this article to disclose.
experienced group.
Author Contributions
These data support these findings that novice, nonphysician, All authors approved the final version of the manuscript.
skilled technicians can successfully be taught the key steps in
placement of an endovascular balloon to decrease hemorrhage References
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of injury. Clinical judgment will also be critical to use this
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