Effectiveness of External Hemorrhage Compression Device of the Abdominal Aorta in Hemorrhagic Shock: A Systematic Review of the Literature

Severe hemorrhage, notably non-compressible torso hemorrhage (NCTH) leading to hemorrhagic shock and traumatic cardiac arrest (TCA), represents a critical and chal-lenging condition in trauma resuscitation. Despite advance-ments in hemorrhage control for extremities, NCTH continues to present a significant barrier to survival, particularly in the prehospital setting. The abdominal aortic and junctional tour-niquet (AAJT), an external hemorrhage control device, has emerged as a promising tool for addressing junctional and ab-dominal hemorrhages, yet its clinical effectiveness remains inad-equately explored. This review assesses the efficacy of the AAJT in improving survival rates in patients with hemorrhagic shock. A systematic literature search was conducted per PRISMA guidelines. Only English-language publications pub-lished between 2019 and 2024 were included. Of the nine relevant publications identified, one was a descriptive case series, seven were animal model studies, and one examined the practicality of the AAJT when tested by combat medic techni-cians. The sparse literature did not permit a proper systematic analysis or conclusions on the clinical effectiveness of AAJT in human patients. The AAJT remains a forward-thinking and viable option for improving trauma resuscitation protocols. Further studies, particularly randomized and controlled clinical trials, are required to advance this research.