The use of interventional procedures in vascular trauma has significantly increased over the last 10 years. Translational studies have noted the physiologic benefits of resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta (REBOA) to control life-threatening abdominal and pelvic hemorrhage. This skill set can be performed safely in the resuscitation suite using X ray, or in the operating room (OR) under fluoroscopy. The advent of the hybrid OR, coupled with the potential benefits of endovascular techniques in the trauma setting will likely result in an increasing number of patients being diagnosed and treated with catheter-based interventions. 


The Basic Endovascular Skills for Trauma (BEST™) workshop, 1:00−
5:15 pm Tuesday at the San Diego Convention Center, 18, is intended to serve as an introduction to REBOA. With a target audience of acute care surgeons and surgical fellows, the workshop will feature didactic and hands-on approaches to procedural acquisition of REBOA through virtual reality simulation. Course participants will earn Continuing Medical Education (CME) credits for completing the workshop—all of which meet the requirements for Trauma, Surgical Critical Care, and Self-Assessment. 


Surgeons who are interested in more in-depth training may be interested in the BEST Course, which offers more hands-on training with cadavers, including ultrasound-guided access, percutaneous, and open cannulation of the common femoral artery (CFA), and CFA repair. 


“BEST was originally developed at the University of Maryland’s RA Cowley Shock Trauma Center, Baltimore, as a means to teach basic endovascular techniques to trauma and acute care surgeons who have limited or no formal endovascular training,” said Megan Brenner, MD, FACS, Creator and Chair of the BEST Course.


The BEST Course is the third surgical skills course offered by the Committee on Trauma. It is offered at the RA Cowley Shock Trauma Center, the Texas Trauma Institute/University of Texas, Houston, and the University of California, Davis. 


For more information about the BEST course, contact the ACS at [email protected]. While on site at the Clinical Congress, visit the Trauma Programs exhibit in ACS Central in the Exhibit Hall to learn more about the BEST Course and for a list of upcoming course dates and locations.