Trends in reconstruction for atherosclerotic renal vascular disease

Twenty-eight patients underwent renal vascular reconstruction for atherosclerotic renal vascular stenosis. Ten patients had therapeutic renal artery reconstruction for isolated renal artery stenosis causing severe hypertension, nine patients had therapeutic renal artery reconstruction for severe hypertension combined with simultaneous aortic reconstruction, and nine patients had prophylactic renal artery reconstruction for renal artery stenosis combined with simultaneous aortic reconstruction. Ninety percent of patients undergoing therapeutic renal revascularization procedures for hypertension were cured or improved. The 10 patients undergoing prophylactic renal artery reconstruction combined with aortic reconstruction had an average 72 percent reduction in the diameter of the vessel. Dacron side grafts sutured to the aortic graft were used for revascularization in each of the patients with prophylactic revascularization and was found to be an expedient means of reconstruction with good patency rates. No increased morbidity or mortality rate was noted in the prophylactic group. We believe that prophylactic revascularization should be carried out in patients with atherosclerotic high-grade stenosis of the renal arteries to prevent hypertension and preserve renal function.     

Changing patterns in surgery for chronic renal artery occlusive diseases.

We report 66 patients undergoing 69 operations for chronic renal artery occlusive diseases operated on at two institutions between January 1985 and June 1990. Etiology was atherosclerosis in 59 patients (90%); fibromuscular disease in four (6%), and three children with nonfibromuscular disease stenosis (4%). Atherosclerosis was local in 10 and generalized in 49 (83% of all patients). Fifty operations (72%) were for salvage of renal function. Average serum creatinine was 2.3 mg/dl and was elevated in 46 patients (70%). Donor arteries for reconstruction were aorta 20 (29%), aortic graft 16 (23%), and other abdominal arteries 33 (48%). Twenty-one patients had concomitant vascular procedures including 16 aortic replacements. The two operative deaths (3%) followed aortic replacements. Three grafts (4%) occluded before discharge from the hospital. Eighty-six percent of patients undergoing renal salvage avoided long-term dialysis. In past decades fibromuscular disease and localized atherosclerosis were the most frequent renal artery occlusive diseases undergoing surgery, hypertension was the predominant indication, and the most frequent operation was aortorenal bypass. As a result of improved pharmacologic management of hypertension and the development of percutaneous transluminal dilation, most patients in this series had far advanced generalized atherosclerosis, and renal salvage was the most frequent indication for operation. As a consequence of the severity of the atherosclerosis, 48% of operations avoided the aorta, 23% replaced the aorta, and aortorenal bypass was used in only 29%.     

Transaortic endarterectomy of renal visceral artery lesions in association with infrarenal aortic surgery

The complexity of infrarenal aortic reconstruction increases when bypass grafts to revascularize associated renal and visceral arteries are needed. Lesions in these vessels, however, are usually limited to their aortic orifices and therefore are amenable to retroperitoneal transaortic endarterectomy. A combined infrarenal aortic reconstruction and transaortic endarterectomy of the renal/visceral vessels was used in 18 (16%) of 120 patients undergoing elective infrarenal aortic reconstruction over a 2-year-period. Transaortic endarterectomy was performed primarily for renal preservation in 11 patients with bilateral, high-grade renal artery stenoses and abnormal renal function (serum creatinine greater than or equal to 1.9 mg/dl). In seven patients transaortic endarterectomy was performed as a secondary procedure during the course of complex reconstruction of aneurysmal or occlusive aortic disease. Mean serum creatinine, which was elevated preoperatively in 14 (78%) patients (3.3 mg/dl), decreased significantly after the operation (2.0 mg/dl, p less than 0.01). A single death occurred in the 18 patients undergoing transaortic endarterectomy. Renal function preservation can be achieved by renal revascularization in patients with bilateral renal artery stenoses and decreased renal function. The retroperitoneal approach to aortic reconstruction and the use of transaortic endarterectomy allows correction of most renal/visceral vessel involvement in complex aortic revascularization procedures.     

Management of pararenal aneurysms of the abdominal aorta

The operative treatment of 77 patients with atherosclerotic aneurysms of the pararenal aorta (54 juxtarenal and 23 suprarenal) is analyzed. Repair of these complex lesions is formidable because of difficult exposure, renal ischemia and myocardial strain as a result of proximal aortic occlusion, and associated renal atherosclerosis with secondary renal functional impairment. Nineteen (25%) patients were normotensive with normal renal function. Sixteen patients (21%) had hypertension alone and 42 (54%) were hypertensive with abnormal renal function. There were multiple renal arteries in 22% of patients. Aortic reconstruction involved infrarenal graft in 27 patients (35%), infrarenal graft plus pararenal aortic endarterectomy (TEA) in 26 (34%), and infra- and pararenal aortic graft in 24 (31%). Twenty-two patients (30%) had normal renal arteries and therefore no renal reconstruction. Of the 55 patients who required combined aortic and renal artery repair, 24 required renal artery repair because of involvement of the renal arteries by the aneurysm and 31 because of atherosclerotic renal artery disease. TEA was the most common technique of renal artery repair (54 of 93 arteries, 58%), followed by reimplantation (18 arteries) and prosthetic graft (13). The perioperative mortality rate was 1.3%. The perioperative morbidity rate was 28% and consisted principally of renal insufficiency (23%). This was usually transient (44%) and (89%) mild. Renal morbidity was adversely affected by renal ischemia status, severity of renal artery disease and extent of renal revascularization. Following reconstruction, hypertension was cured or improved in 77% of patients and abnormal renal function was cured or improved in 46% and stabilized in an additional 39% of patients. These results show that combined aortic aneurysm repair and renal artery reconstruction can be performed with minimal mortality and an acceptable morbidity. Aggressive intraoperative monitoring is necessary to minimize myocardial complications. Careful attention must be paid to the technical details of the reconstruction, especially in minimizing renal ischemia, to reduce the subsequent incidence of renal function deterioration.     

Simultaneous aortic reconstruction and bilateral renal revascularization. Is this a safe and effective procedure?

Between 1982 and 1987, 32 patients with severe aortorenal atherosclerosis had simultaneous aortic and bilateral renal revascularization. All patients were hypertensive. Eighteen patients (56%) had renal insufficiency with a mean serum creatinine (SC) of 2.8 mg/dl. Nine patients had an aortic aneurysm; the remaining 23 patients had aortoiliac occlusive disease of varying severity. Aortic reconstruction was done with either a straight (six patients) or bifurcated (26 patients) Dacron graft. Renal revascularization was accomplished with either bypass (60 arteries) or transaortic endarterectomy (four arteries). One patient died of pulmonary embolism (operative mortality rate 3%). Beneficial blood pressure response was achieved in 28 of 31 survivors, (90%). Among the 18 patients with renal insufficiency, mean SC was 2.80 +/- 1.18 mg/dl preoperatively and 1.65 +/- 0.48 mg/dl postoperatively (p less than 0.001). Among eight patients with severe renal dysfunction before surgery (SC greater than 3 mg/dl), mean SC was 3.90 +/- 0.85 mg/dl before and 1.79 +/- 0.69 mg/dl after operation (p less than 0.001). In follow-up extending to 58 months (mean 27.6 months), five late deaths occurred; cumulative survival was 94% at 2 years and 60% at 4 years. There were no instances of worsening hypertension; one patient had deteriorating renal function. These results indicate that severe aortorenal atherosclerosis can be managed with simultaneous aortic reconstruction and bilateral renal revascularization at low operative risk. In addition, there can be high expectation of significant and persisting benefit in both hypertension and renal dysfunction after operation.     

Combined aortic and visceral arterial reconstruction: risks and results

The indications, morbidity, and efficacy of combined reconstruction of the abdominal aorta and visceral arteries (renal and superior mesenteric; excluding suprarenal aortic aneurysms) were analyzed retrospectively in 29 consecutive patients who underwent surgery from June 1984 through February 1990. Seventeen men and 12 women ages 32 to 76 years (mean, 66 years) were studied. Follow-up was complete in all patients to either death or calendar year 1989 to 1990 (mean, 31.9 months; range, 2 to 66 months). All patients underwent bypass of angiographically proven severe lesions of one renal artery (19 patients), both renal arteries (8 patients), or the superior mesenteric artery and renal arteries (2 patients), in concert with synthetic distal aortic replacement for occlusive disease (10 patients) or aneurysm (19 patients). Indications for renal artery repair included severe hypertension in 13 patients, ischemic renal insufficiency in 8 patients, and lesion morphology alone in 8 patients. Operative mortality rate was 3 of 29 (10.3%), and each death was the result of multisystem organ failure. Nonfatal complications occurred in 11 of the 26 survivors (42%), and this group differed significantly from the uncomplicated 15 patients only in having a higher mean preoperative serum creatinine (2.5 +/- 1.1 mg/dl vs 1.6 +/- 0.9 mg/dl, p = 0.04, t test). The mortality rate of patients with preoperative serum creatinine greater than or equal to 2.0 mg/dl, was 15.4% (2/13 patients), compared to 6.2% (1/16) in patients with creatinine less than 2.0 mg/dl. Three late deaths occurred (2 stroke, 1 cancer). Hypertension control improved in 64% of patients overall, and in 7 of 9 patients whose major operative indication was renovascular hypertension. Renal function remained stable or improved in 12 of 15 patients (80%) with renal insufficiency, but 3 patients progressed to require dialysis. Long-term graft patency was demonstrated by angiography or on duplex scan in all studied survivors (21 patients). Although operative risks are clearly increased compared to less complex vascular procedures, careful patient selection and management will yield a favorable outcome in most patients with such combined lesions.     

Surgical treatment of vasorenal hypertension in non-specific aorto-arteritis]

An injury to the renal arteries was found in 119 patients with non-specific aorto-arteritis and high arterial hypertension by means of angiography. 66 patients were operated upon (75 operations). The reconstruction of one renal artery was carried out upon 31 patients, 30 patients underwent the reconstruction of both renal arteries. 6 patients were subjected to the primary nephrectomy, and 6 others to the secondary one. The blood flow along the aorta and visceral arteries was restored in 31 cases in one-stage operation together with the reconstruction of the renal arteries. In recent years the postoperative mortality has constituted 4.3%. Excellent and good results have been obtained in 83.6% of cases.     

Combined aortic and renal artery surgery. A contemporary experience.

PURPOSE: This retrospective study examines results with simultaneous aortic and renal artery repair in 133 consecutive hypertensive patients. These results are compared with consecutive patient groups undergoing aortic reconstruction alone (269 patients) or renal artery reconstruction alone (182 patients). METHODS: From January 1987 through July 1995, 61 women and 72 men (mean age, 62.5 years) underwent combined repair of renal artery and aortic disease (abdominal aortic aneurysm [AAA]: 47 patients; occlusive disease: 86 patients; both: 12 patients). All patients were hypertensive (mean blood pressure: 194/103 mmHg; mean medications: 2.4). Evidenced by serum creatinine levels > or = 2.0 mg/dL, 46 patients (35%) had significant renal dysfunction (mean serum creatinine level: 3.78 mg/dL; range 2.0-10.6 mg/dL, including 7 dialysis-dependent patients). Aortic replacements (29% tube grafts; 71% bifurcated grafts) were combined with unilateral renal artery repair in 47% of patients; 53% had bilateral repair. Preoperative clinical features and perioperative mortality were compared with those groups having isolated aortic and renal repairs. RESULTS: There were seven perioperative deaths (5.3%) after combined repair, which differed significantly from isolated aortic repair (mortality: 0.74%; p = 0.005), but did not reach statistical significance when compared with the isolated renal artery group (mortality: 1.65%; p = 0.145). Risk analysis did not reveal a significant association between preoperative clinical features and mortality in either the combined repair group or the groups undergoing renal repair alone or aortic repair alone. Among survivors in the combined group, a favorable hypertension response was observed in 63%. This differed significantly from the group receiving renal repair alone (90% cured/improved; p < 0.001). Based on a 20% decrease in serum creatinine levels, excretory renal function was improved in 33% of patients with combined repair, including four of the seven patients removed from hemodialysis. There were eight late deaths in the combined group. CONCLUSIONS: Our experience suggest that contemporary perioperative mortality for combined aortic and renal repair has improved compared with earlier reports; however, perioperative mortality for simultaneous reconstruction remains greater than repair of aortic disease alone. Moreover, a lower rate of favorable hypertension response was observed after combined correction compared with renal artery repair alone. These differences suggest that aortic and renal artery repair should only be combined for clinical indications rather than for prophylactic repair of clinically silent disease.     

Treatment of patients with aortic dissection presenting with peripheral vascular complications.

The incidence of peripheral vascular complications in 272 patients with aortic dissection during a 25-year span was determined, as was outcome after a uniform, aggressive surgical approach directed at repair of the thoracic aorta. One hundred twenty-eight patients (47%) presented with acute type A dissection, 70 (26%) with chronic type A, 40 (15%) with acute type B, and 34 (12%) with chronic type B dissections. Eighty-five patients (31%) sustained one or more peripheral vascular complications: Seven (3%) had a stroke, nine (3%) had paraplegia, 66 (24%) sustained loss of a peripheral pulse, 22 (8%) had impaired renal perfusion, and 14 patients (5%) had compromised visceral perfusion. Following repair of the thoracic aorta, local peripheral vascular procedures were unnecessary in 92% of patients who presented with absence of a peripheral pulse. The operative mortality rate for all patients was 25% +/- 3% (68 of 272 patients). For the subsets of individuals with paraplegia, loss of renal perfusion, and compromised visceral perfusion, the operative mortality rates (+/- 70% confidence limits) were high: 44% +/- 17% (4 of 9 patients), 50% +/- 11% (11 of 22 patients), and 43% +/- 14% (6 of 14 patients), respectively. The mortality rates were lower for patients presenting with stroke (14% +/- 14% [1 of 7 patients]) or loss of peripheral pulse (27% +/- 6% [18 of 66 patients]). Multivariate analysis revealed that impaired renal perfusion was the only peripheral vascular complication that was a significant independent predictor of increased operative mortality risk (p = 0.024); earlier surgical referral (replacement of the appropriate section of the thoracic aorta) or more expeditious diagnosis followed by surgical renal artery revascularization after a thoracic procedure may represent the only way to improve outcome in this high-risk patient subset. Early, aggressive thoracic aortic repair (followed by aortic fenestration and/or abdominal exploration with or without direct visceral or renal vascular reconstruction when necessary) can save some patients with compromised visceral perfusion; however, once visceral infarction develops the prognosis is also poor. Increased awareness of these devastating complications of aortic dissection and the availability of better diagnostic tools today may improve the survival rate for these patients in the future. The initial surgical procedure should include repair of the thoracic aorta in most patients.     

Atherosclerotic lesions of the aorta and renal arteries: Results of simultaneous surgical treatment

Between 1975 and 1985, 43 patients underwent simultaneous aortic and renal artery reconstruction. Twenty-two patients had infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms and 21 had aortoiliac occlusive disease. In addition, 40 patients had severe lesions of one or both renal arteries and three patients had a lesion in an accessory renal artery. Hypertension was present in 29 patients, 15 of whom had impaired renal function. Four patients had chronic renal insufficiency without hypertension. Ten patients underwent prophylactic renal artery reconstruction. Infrarenal aortic repair was carried out simultaneously with thromboendarterectomy of one or both renal arteries, or reimplantation of a renal artery into the aorta, in two cases with contralateral nephrectomy. In one patient, the celiac and superior mesenteric arteries were also bypassed. Three patients (7%) died in the immediate postoperative period, two of these from myocardial infarction. Long-term survival was studied in 37 patients. Sixty-seven percent of patients with preoperative hypertension and less than 50% of those with preoperative renal insufficiency had good results.     

Type III and IV thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair: results of a trifurcated/two-graft technique

OBJECTIVE: Thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAA) repair continues to present a surgical challenge because of obligate intraoperative visceral, renal, and spinal cord ischemia. A novel two-graft technique with a trifurcated graft for sequential visceral revascularization followed by a second graft for inline aneurysm reconstruction minimizes this endorgan ischemia. We herein present our updated experience with this approach for repair of type III and type IV TAAs. METHODS: Thirty-two patients (mean age, 70 years) underwent nonemergent repair of extent III (12 patients) and IV (20 patients) TAAs between March 1996 and October 2001. Repair was achieved with a trifurcated graft for uninvolved descending thoracic aorta-to-celiac/superior mesenteric/renal artery bypass with an additional tube or bifurcated graft for inline aneurysm reconstruction. Adjunctive cerebrospinal fluid drainage was used in the last six patients. Six patients had a solitary kidney, and six had previous infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. RESULTS: Mean visceral ischemia times were as follows: celiac artery, 12 minutes; superior mesenteric artery, 12 minutes; left renal artery, 10 minutes; and right renal artery, 33 minutes. The creatinine level at discharge was not significantly different from the preoperative level (1.7 versus 1.3; P =.10). Two patients (6.3%) had transient renal failure; however, the permanent renal failure rate was zero. No patient with a solitary kidney had renal dysfunction develop. Paraplegia occurred in two patients (6.3%), one of whom had prior abdominal aortic aneurysm repair and neither of whom had cerebrospinal fluid drainage. Prolonged ventilatory support (>2 days) was necessitated in six patients (19%). The perioperative mortality rate was 6.3% (two patients). The mean follow-up period was 22 months, with a life-table survival rate of 76% at 36 months. Maintenance of preoperative functional status was achieved in 92% (23/25 patients) of long-term survivors. CONCLUSION: Type III and IVTAA repair with a trifurcated graft for sequential visceral revascularization followed by a second graft for inline aneurysm reconstruction provides short visceral, renal, and spinal cord ischemia times and leads to low rates of endorgan ischemic damage and paraplegia. Preoperative functional status is maintained in most survivors. These results compare favorably with other methods of TAA repair, and this technique presents a useful option in thoracoabdominal aortic reconstruction.     

内脏动脉重建联合主动脉腔内修复杂交手术经验总结

目的总结内脏动脉重建联合主动脉腔内修复杂交手术经验。方法12例杂交手术一期或二期完成。内脏动脉重建术中制作多分支人工血管。人工血管主体与腹主动脉或髂动脉吻合,远端各分支与双侧肾动脉、肠系膜上动脉、腹腔干及其分支分别吻合。前期部分肾动脉的处理采用自体肾移植,后期完全采取人工血管旁路方案。出院后CT血管造影（CTA）随访各内脏动脉吻合口是否通畅。结果12例内脏动脉重建术,重建腹腔干及其分支共11支,肠系膜上动脉12支,肾动脉共18支（包括自体肾移植5支）。内脏动脉人工血管吻合方式,前期采用端侧吻合,后期优先采用端端吻合。3例发生腹膜后出血。2例自体肾移植发生肾积水、尿漏。1例内脏动脉重建术后因胸腹主动脉瘤破裂死亡。1例发生急性呼吸窘迫综合征（ARDS）后继发心功能衰竭死亡。内脏动脉重建术相关围手术期死亡率为9．1％（1／11）。无一例发生截瘫。术后CTA随访7例,重建内脏动脉共23支全部通畅。结论杂交手术治疗累及内脏动脉的主动脉扩张性病变有效可行。手术方案的演变表明合理的内脏动脉解剖入路、人工血管旁路设计和吻合方式是手术成功的关键因素。     

Alternate venous drainage and return of warmed blood combined with continuous hypothermic visceral perfusion. A new adjunct of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair.

OBJECTIVE: As a new adjunct to surgical repair for a thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm, we have devised and used visceral perfusion in combination with alternate venous drainage and return of warmed blood in 4 patients. METHODS: Surgical repair of a thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm of Crawford type III (n = 1) or type IV (n = 3) was performed. During visceral branch reconstruction, hypothermic blood (30-32 degrees C) was perfused continuously to each visceral and renal artery at a total flow rate of 300 ml/min, in combination with alternate venous drainage and return of warmed blood to the inferior vena cava. RESULTS: The visceral and renal perfusion time was 115 +/- 55 (with a range from 52 to 190) minutes. All 4 patients recovered uneventfully. CONCLUSIONS: Alternate venous drainage and return of warmed blood combined with continuous hypothermic visceral perfusion were a useful adjunct to thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair during reconstruction of visceral and renal arteries.     

Staged reconstruction for middle aortic syndrome

BACKGROUND/PURPOSE: Middle aortic syndrome is a rare condition that involves narrowing of the abdominal aorta and its visceral branches. The authors propose staged vascular repair to minimize renal ischemia and facilitate use of native arterial tissue for reconstruction. METHODS: Three adolescents (age 8(1/2), 12(1/2), 13(1/2)) presented with severe hypertension. Subsequent evaluation showed coarctation of the abdominal aorta extending above the celiac axis. All 3 patients had bilateral renal artery stenoses. There also were tight stenoses of the celiac or superior mesenteric arteries. In the first stage the right renal artery stenosis was relieved. In the youngest patient, this was accomplished by balloon angioplasty. However, in the other 2, right renal autotransplantation was performed to the right iliac vessels using end-to-side anastomoses of the renal artery and vein. Cold perfusion was used. The second stage was performed 2 to 5 months later via a thoracoabdominal approach in 2 patients. A Dacron tube graft was utilized from above the coarctation to the iliac bifurcation. The left renal arteries were detached and anastomosed end to side to the bypass graft. In 1 child there were actually 3 separate renal arteries that required reimplantation. In the youngest patient the aortic narrowing was relieved by a long Dacron patch aortoplasty and interposition of an internal iliac artery graft to the left renal artery. RESULTS: All 3 patients recovered well and returned to full activities. There was no measurable rise of BUN or serum creatinine postoperatively. Postoperative renal scans showed good renal perfusion bilaterally. Follow-up results 2 to 10 years later continue to show well functioning reconstructions. CONCLUSION: A staged approach is an effective reconstruction for children with middle aortic syndrome which minimizes risk to renal function.     

Renal and aortic localizations in Takayasu's disease

AIM OF THE STUDY: The aim of this work was to study the localizations of Takayasu's disease to the aorta and the renal arteries, the long-term results of their surgical treatment and the evolution of the disease with time. PATIENTS AND METHODS: From 1972 to 2000, 23 patients (16 females, 7 males) with aortic and/or renal lesions were operated on. Mean age was 19.5 +/- 12.4 years. Despite heavy medical treatment, all had severe and uncontrollable hypertension. Eighteen patients had associated lesions of the aorta and renal arteries, 5 had isolated lesions of the renal artery, 10 had lesions of mesenteric arteries, 6 had lesions of supra-aortic trunks. Percutaneous transluminal angioplasty of the renal artery (ies) was attempted in 4 cases and was unsuccessful in all. Due to bilateral lesions in 12 patients, the surgical treatment consisted of 3 nephrectomies and 32 artery repairs of which 23 were performed by conventional in situ surgery and 9 by extracorporeal repair. An aortic bypass was performed in 7 patients and revascularization of other visceral arteries in 3. The follow-up extends from 1 to 18 years (mean: 5). RESULTS: There was no mortality. Three postoperative thromboses of repairs occurred: 2 of renal artery and 1 of mesenteric artery. Immediate results on blood pressure control were as follows: complete cure in 18 patients (78%), improvement in 3 (13%) and failure in 2 (9%). During the follow-up, evolution of the disease was observed in 10 patients (43%): 4 repeat stenoses of renal arteries due to aggravation of aortic lesions requiring reoperation in 2 patients, 3 aggravation of aortic lesions requiring an aortic bypass in 1 patient, 1 coronary insufficiency requiring a coronary bypass at 8.5 years. During the long-term follow up, due to secondary anatomical deteriorations, the results of surgery on blood pressure control were as follow: complete cure in 14 patients (61%), improvement in 4 (17%), failure in 5 (22%). CONCLUSION: Surgical treatment of reno-aortic lesions in Takayasu's disease must be reserved to patients whose arterial hypertension is uncontrollable despite heavy medical treatment. Results are altered by the evolution of the disease either locally or in other territories and that may require several operations. Due to frequently occurring late degeneration of repairs, surgical therapy must be carefully decided and patients' follow-up must be prolonged.     

Ten years experience with reconstruction of the chronic totally occluded renal artery

The criteria for selection of patients who may benefit from reconstruction of totally occluded renal arteries are not well defined. Of those patients who underwent renal artery reconstruction for renal artery occlusive disease at our institution 13% (52/397) had a chronic renal artery occlusion at preoperative arteriography. In 38 cases (73%) the contralateral renal artery had a significant (greater than 70%) stenosis, which was reconstructed simultaneously. Renovascular hypertension alone (n = 27;52%) or in combination with impaired renal function (n = 25;48%) was the indication for surgical treatment and transaortic thromboendarterectomy was the preferred method of reconstruction (n = 38;73%). Operative mortality was 5.7% and during follow-up (38 +/- 31 months) 4 patients died from myocardial infarction (n = 2), aortic dissection (n = 1) or cerebral haemorrhage (n = 1). Postoperatively 20 patients (44.5%) had a normal blood pressure; in a further 20 (44.5%) the hypertension was easier to control and medication could be reduced. Five patients (11%) remained hypertensive. Postoperative arteriography showed a normal patent renal artery in 40 cases (89%). Postoperative plasma creatinine levels ranged from 0.8 to 3.4 mg% (1.32 +/- 0.74) which was a significant reduction from preoperative levels. Two patients with severe uraemia improved to an extent where haemodialysis could be discontinued. Radionuclide scan and the measurements of plasma renin activity before and after administration of a converting enzyme inhibitor (Captopril) were the most reliable diagnostic methods for preoperative patient selection and postoperative follow-up.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Results of surgical treatment for atherosclerotic renovascular occlusive disease

In this study we retrospectively examined the results of surgery for atherosclerotic renal artery lesions and analysed the factors that may affect postoperative blood pressure response, changes in renal function and late mortality. A total of 326 patients were operated on over a 15 year period and were followed up for periods from 4 to 165 months (mean follow-up time: 37.2 months). An extra renal vascular area was also involved in 91.4% of cases and in 187 (57.3%) a significant involvement of both renal arteries was found and simultaneously treated. Combined revascularisation of other arteries was performed in 50.3% of patients. The indications for surgery were the treatment of extreme hypertension in 243 patients (74.5%), the improvement of renal function in 45 with renal insufficiency, and preservation of the kidney in 38 (11.7%). The preferred method of reconstruction was transaortic endarterectomy (236 cases, i.e. 72.4%) and postoperative angiography demonstrated a normal patent renal artery in 319 of 338 studied renal arteries (94.4%). There were no deaths in the early postoperative period after isolated renal artery reconstruction. Of the 164 patients with simultaneous renal and aortic reconstruction however 14 died during the early postoperative phase. The overall early mortality was thus 4.3% (14 out of 326 patients) and correlated significantly with the extent of the atherosclerotic disease, the age of the patients, the operative technique used and the different intra- and postoperative management during the two different periods of our experience (1974-1980 v. 1981-1989).(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)     

Middle aortic syndrome. Effectiveness and durability of complex arterial revascularization techniques.

Middle aortic syndrome typically occurs as severe hypertension in young patients who have weak or absent femoral pulses and an abdominal bruit. It results from a diffuse narrowing of the distal thoracic and abdominal aorta, commonly involving the visceral and renal arteries. The clinical presentation, angiographic assessment, and surgical outcome of 10 patients (mean age: 19.5 years) who underwent one-stage revascularization for middle aortic syndrome were reviewed to determine the effectiveness and durability of one-stage revascularization techniques to relieve these complications. All patients were hypertensive (mean blood pressure: 176 mmHg); six (60%) had severe, poorly controlled hypertension, two of whom had previous failed operations for renovascular hypertension and one who presented with malignant hypertension and acute renal failure. Five patients had disabling myocardial insufficiency, only one of whom had documented coronary artery disease. Four patients had intermittent claudication. Aortography showed variable length high-grade midaortic stenosis, nine had visceral artery involvement, and eight had renal artery involvement. All patients underwent one-stage revascularization by a variety of autogenous and prosthetic techniques. The postoperative recovery was uncomplicated in eight of nine patients and was often associated with dramatic reduction in blood pressure. There was a single death from disruption of the thoracic anastomosis in a patient who had diffuse cystic medial necrosis of the aorta. Arterial biopsy in nine patients indicated evidence for both acquired and congenital origins of the midaortic stenosis. Late follow-up evaluation (mean: 4.1 years) showed normal growth and development, preservation of renal function, and relief of myocardial insufficiency in all patients. Seven patients (77%) are cured of their hypertension, and two (23%) have only mild hypertension. These results indicate that one-stage revascularization of patients with middle aortic syndrome can result in effective and durable relief of these severe life-threatening complications.     

Renal Artery Revascularization in Combination with Infrarenal Aortic Reconstruction

Associated stenosis of one or both renal arteries is not uncommon in patients with infrarenal aortic disease (aneurysm or occlusive disease) requiring surgical repair. The purpose of this retrospective study was to analyze the short- and long-term outcome of concomitant renal artery and aortic reconstruction. The present series includes 39 consecutive concomitant procedures. Simultaneous aortic and renal artery reconstruction was performed in a total of 39 (7.2%) of the 540 patients who underwent elective infrarenal abdominal aortic repair between 1987 and 1996. There were 33 men and 6 women with a mean age of 66.7 years. Twenty-eight patients presented hypertension and 7 presented renal insufficiency associated with hypertension. In all cases, the indication for operative treatment was aortic disease, i.e., aortic aneurysm in 20 cases and occlusive aortoiliac disease in 19 cases. A total of 51 renal artery revascularization procedures were performed, including bypass in 40 cases, transposition in 7, and endarterectomy in 4. Combined aortic and renal artery reconstruction gives good short- and long-term results comparable to those of isolated aortic surgery. On the basis of these findings, we think that concomitant repair is the strategy of choice for patients presenting renal artery stenosis associated with infrarenal aortic disease requiring surgical therapy.     

Pararenal aortic aneurysms: the future of open aortic aneurysm repair

PURPOSE: As endovascular stent graft repair of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) becomes more common, an increasing proportion of patients who undergo open operation will have juxtarenal aneurysms (JR-AAAs), which necessitate suprarenal crossclamping, suprarenal aneurysms (SR-AAAs), which necessitate renal artery reconstruction, or aneurysms with associated renal artery occlusive disease (RAOD), which necessitate repair. To determine the current results of the standard operative treatment of these patterns of pararenal aortic aneurysms, we reviewed the outcome of 257 consecutive patients who underwent operation for JR-AAAs (n = 122), SR-AAAs (n = 58), or RAOD (n = 77). METHODS: The patients with SR-AAAs and RAOD were younger (67.5 +/- 8.8 years) than were the patients with JR-AAAs (70.5 +/- 8.3 years), and more patients with RAOD were women (43% vs 21% for JR-AAAs and SR-AAAs). The patient groups were similar in the frequency of coronary artery and pulmonary disease and in most risk factors for atherosclerosis, except hypertension, which was more common in the RAOD group. Significantly more patients with RAOD had reduced renal function before surgery (51% vs 23%). Supravisceral aortic crossclamping (above the superior mesenteric artery or the celiac artery) was needed more often in patients with SR-AAAs (52% vs 39% for RAOD and 17% for JR-AAAs). Seventeen patients (7%) had undergone a prior aortic reconstruction. The most common renal reconstruction for SR-AAA was reimplantation (n = 37; 64%) or bypass grafting (n = 12; 21%) and for RAOD was transaortic renal endarterectomy (n = 71; 92%). Mean AAA diameter was 6.7 +/- 2.1 cm and was larger in the JR-AAA (7.1 +/- 2.1 cm) and SR-AAA (6.9 +/- 2.1 cm) groups as compared with the RAOD group (5.9 +/- 1.7 cm). RESULTS: The overall mortality rate was 5.8% (n = 15) and was the same for all the groups. The mortality rate correlated (P <.05) with hematologic complications (bleeding) and postoperative visceral ischemia or infarction but not with aneurysm group or cardiac, pulmonary, or renal complications. Renal ischemia duration averaged 31.6 +/- 21.6 minutes and was longer in the SR-AAA group (43.6 +/- 38.9 minutes). Some postoperative renal function loss occurred in 104 patients (40.5%), of whom 18 (7.0%) required dialysis. At discharge or death, 24 patients (9.3%) still had no improvement in renal function and 11 of those patients (4.3%) remained on dialysis. Postoperative loss of renal function correlated (P <.05) with preoperative abnormal renal function and duration of renal ischemia but not with aneurysm type, crossclamp level, or type of renal reconstruction. CONCLUSION: These results showed that pararenal AAA repair can be performed safely and effectively. The outcomes for all three aneurysm types were similar, but there was an increased risk of loss of renal function when preoperative renal function was abnormal. These data provide a benchmark for expected treatment outcomes in patients with these patterns of pararenal aortic aneurysmal disease that currently can only be managed with open repair.