Renal revascularization by end-to-end anastomosis of the hepatic and renal arteries

From June 1981 to January 1984, 13 patients with atherosclerotic renal artery disease underwent revascularization by end-to-end anastomosis of the hepatic and renal arteries. Renal revascularization was indicated to preserve renal function and/or to treat associated hypertension. An aortorenal bypass was not possible owing to severe aortic atherosclerosis or a prior aortic operation. Right renal revascularization was performed by end-to-end anastomosis of the renal artery to the common hepatic artery in 7 patients, right hepatic artery in 4, left hepatic artery in 1 or gastroduodenal artery in 1. Postoperatively, 2 patients suffered a necrotic gallbladder owing to ischemia and 1 of these patients died. Liver enzymes were elevated immediately postoperatively in 11 patients but returned to normal within 2 weeks in each case. Currently, all 12 surviving patients have normal liver function, well controlled blood pressure and improved renal function. End-to-end anastomosis of the hepatic and renal arteries is an effective method of revascularization but specific measures must be taken to avoid complications of gallbladder ischemia.     

胃十二指肠－右肾动脉旁路转流术治疗肾动脉狭窄

作者采用自体大隐静脉间置移植，作胃十二指肠动脉旁路转流术，治疗肾动脉狭窄、肾血管性高血压１例。术后随访１年，取得良好控制高血压疗效。作者认为，间置自体大隐静脉的内径不应小于０．４ｃｍ，吻合后移植大隐静脉段无张力。防止受压、成角、扭曲以及缩短缺血时间，是保护肾脏功能和使手术取得成功的关键。     

Revascularization of the right ischemic kidney by gastroduodenal artery

Hepatorenal bypass can successfully accomplish revascularization of the right renal artery when the aorta or the iliac vessels cannot be used for a standard renal bypass or renal autotransplantation. The use of the hepatic circulation can be increased by the gastroduodenal to renal artery bypass procedure. Herein we report a clinical case of severe hypertension in a patient with a solitary functional kidney and an extensive atheromatous alteration of the aortoiliac segment. It has been corrected by means of a gastroduodenal end-to-side renal saphenous vein bypass graft.     

男性肾移植受者手术前后的勃起功能状况及动脉吻合方式对其影响

目的:评价男性肾移植受者手术前后的勃起功能状况及不同动脉吻合方式对勃起功能的影响。方法:选取22～60岁、移植后存活1年以上、血清肌酐9个月内维持在200μmol/L以下的已婚男性肾移植受者55例,其中采用供肾动脉与髂内动脉端端吻合的39例,供肾动脉与髂外动脉端侧吻合的16例。运用IIEF-5对患者移植前及移植后3、6、9个月的勃起功能进行调查,并评价移植所采用的动脉吻合方式对其影响。其中25例分别在移植前和移植后1个月检测其垂体性激素的变化。结果:肾移植术后3、6、9个月患者的IIEF-5评分与术前比较,差异有显著性(P<0.05);IIEF-5评分肾移植术后6个月、9个月患者与术后3个月比较,差异有显著性(P<0.05);术前血液透析时间在12个月以内的患者IIEF-5评分高于血液透析时间在12个月以上的患者(P<0.05);移植后9个月髂外动脉端侧吻合者的勃起功能好于髂内动脉端端吻合者,差异具有显著性(P<0.05);移植术后1个月患者的垂体激素水平与移植前差异有显著性(P<0.05)。结论:肾移植后,患者的勃起功能及垂体激素水平得到了改善,而采用髂外动脉与供肾动脉吻合的患者勃起功能恢复要好于采用髂内动脉与供肾动脉吻合的患者。     

Simultaneous aortic and renal artery reconstruction

Nine patients presenting with combined aortic and renal artery disease underwent simultaneous infrarenal aortic reconstruction and renal revascularization. Seven patients had aneurysmal and two had occlusive aortic disease in association with unilateral (four cases) or bilateral (five cases) atheromatous renal artery stenosis. The indications for renal revascularization were hypertension (n = 8) refractory to medical treatment or associated with renal functional impairment and chronic renal failure alone (n = 1). Five patients developed postoperative complications with one fatality. Eight patients were followed up for between 7 months and 4 years. Control of blood pressure had improved in six of seven hypertensive patients. Serum creatinine levels were stabilized or had fallen in five patients. Simultaneous aortic and renal artery reconstruction is widely recognized as having a high postoperative morbidity rate but can improve control of hypertension and stabilize renal function in carefully selected patients.     

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.     

Transplant renal artery stenosis

A group of 31 patients with transplant renal artery stenoses was identified among 2002 patients undergoing renal transplantation at the University of Minnesota; 29 of the stenoses were at the anastomosis. A total of 43 procedures were performed to correct the stenosis. Angioplasty was performed 25 times, with 3 patients cured and 2 patients improved; 20 procedures resulted in a poor result (3) or a failure (17). The failures were usually due to recurrent stenosis (7 patients) or to arterial injury that resulted in graft loss (4 patients) or successful emergency surgery to save the transplant (3 cases). Surgical repair of the stenosis was performed 18 times. No grafts were lost and 13 patients were cured or improved. These data suggest that angioplasty for anastomotic stenosis yields poor results and that a surgical repair is probably warranted. All 7 patients who had a poor results or failed a technically successful intervention did not have a rise in creatinine secondary to captopril or had a systolic pressure gradient of less than 60 mmHg across the anastomosis. These data also suggest that patients without physiological evidence of renal artery stenosis may not have improvement in their hypertension following repair.     

改进的套袖法吻合肾动脉建立大鼠原位肾移植模型

目的 观察改进的套袖法吻合肾动脉用于大鼠肾移植的可行性.方法 选择F344大鼠和Lewis大鼠分别作为肾移植的供、受者.切取供者左侧肾脏时,先剪断输尿管,然后阻断肾动、静脉水平上下的腹主动脉和下腔静脉,靠近下腔静脉剪断左肾静脉根部,经腹主动脉注入含肝素的4℃生理盐水对供肾进行原位灌洗后,靠近腹主动脉剪断肾动脉根部,取出供肾,放入4℃生理盐水中保存.切除受者左侧肾脏时,尽可能长的保留肾动、静脉以利于吻合.供肾植入时,采用改进的套袖法:用显微镊轻轻扩张供肾动脉后,协助显微持针器将针从供肾动脉血管外向血管内穿入,并从血管断端穿出第1针;接着穿入受者肾动脉断端,从受者肾动脉腔内向腔外穿出第2针;然后再从供肾动脉腔内、靠近第1针进针点处向腔外穿出,并与第1针的另外一端打结,此时受者的肾动脉已套入供肾动脉内;将供肾动脉边缘与受者肾动脉外膜固定2针,2针呈180度对角.供、受者的肾静脉及输尿管均行端端吻合.术后5 d内.若受者死亡,则认为手术失败.结泉共行肾移植20次,整个手术耗时70～90 min,供肾热缺血时间为4～9 s,冷缺血时间为30～40 min,肾动脉吻合用时(4.6±0.6)min,肾静脉吻合用时(11.8±1.2)min,输尿管吻合用时(12.2±1.4)min.术后5 d内,受者不明原因死亡1只,存活19只,手术成功率为95%.结论 采用改进的套袖法吻合肾动脉具有便捷、易于掌握、可靠及实用等优点,大鼠肾移植的成功率较高.     

Technical consideration in management of renovascular hypertension in an infant with double renal arteries

Renovascular hypertension is a curable disease that has recently been recognized with increasing frequency. A renal scan in a 1-month-old hypertensive white male showed diminished function of the right kidney, and his peripheral vein renin was elevated. Multiple antihypertensive medications failed to control his hypertension, and right kidney function deteriorated. An arteriogram showed two stenotic renal arteries supplying the right kidney. The smaller inferior artery supplied 35% of the kidney. Selective vein renin levels were greater than 15,000 ng/dL on the right side. Technical considerations in the repair of this lesion included midline transabdominal incision to expose the abdominal aorta and the inferior vena cava; dissection of inferior vena cava (IVC) with division of selected lumbar veins; full mobilization of right kidney and transsection of both renal arteries and the renal vein; perfusion of kidney via each renal artery with cold Sach's solution after resection of arterial stenoses; end-to-side microvascular anastomosis of the smaller (2 mm) renal artery to the main renal artery at the hilum with 10-0 nylon over in situ perfusion cannula; renal artery passed under the IVC to the aorta; and right kidney autotransplanted to a new site on the abdominal aorta with an end-to-side (5.0 mm) renal artery to the aorta and an end-to-side renal vein to IVC anastomosis. Following revascularization, perfusion was excellent and the blood pressure returned to normal. At 6 months follow-up, selective renal vein renins were normal and an arteriogram showed no stenosis. Meticulous dissection, cold perfusion, microvascular anastomosis, and autotransplantation salvaged this kidney and resolved the hypertension.     

Subclavian artery resection and reconstruction for thoracic inlet cancers

PURPOSE: We previously described an original transcervical approach to resect primary or secondary malignant diseases that invade the thoracic inlet (TI). The purpose of this study was to evaluate the technical aspects and long-term results of the resection and revascularization of the subclavian artery (SA). METHODS: Between 1986 and 1998, 34 patients (mean age, 49 years) underwent en bloc resection of TI cancer that had invaded the SA. The surgical approach was an L-shaped transclavicular cervicotomy in 33 patients. In 14 of these patients, this approach was associated with a posterolateral thoracotomy (n = 10) or a posterior midline approach (n = 4). In one patient, the procedure was achieved with a single posterolateral thoracotomy approach. An end-to-end anastomosis was performed in 16 patients. In one patient, a subclavian-left common carotid artery transposition was performed. In one other patient, an end-to-end anastomosis was performed between the proximal innominate artery and the SA. The right carotid artery was transposed into the SA in an end-to-side fashion. In 16 patients, prosthetic revascularization with a polytetrafluoroethylene graft was performed. Thirty-three patients underwent postoperative radiation therapy. RESULTS: There were no cases of perioperative death, neurologic sequelae, graft infections or occlusions, or limb ischemia. There were two delayed asymptomatic polytetrafluoroethylene graft occlusions at 12 and 31 months. The 5-year patency rate was 85%. During this study, 20 patients died: 18 died of tumor recurrence (5 local and systemic and 13 systemic), one of respiratory failure, and one of an unknown cause at 74 months. The overall 5-year survival rate was 36%, and the 5-year disease-free survival rate was 18%. CONCLUSION: Tumor arterial invasion per se should not be a contraindication to TI cancer resection. This study shows that cancers that invade the SA can be resected through an L-shaped transclavicular cervicotomy, with good results with a concomitant revascularization of the SA.     

Renal artery repair: consequence of operative failures.

OBJECTIVE: This report examines the blood pressure and renal function response in 20 consecutive patients after secondary renal revascularization following failed operative repair. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Most reports describing operative failure of renal artery (RA) repair emphasize the technical aspects of redo RA reconstruction and the immediate blood-pressure response to secondary operation. This report examines the eventual renal function and estimated survival after secondary intervention. METHODS: Primary methods of RA reconstruction, primary blood pressure and renal function responses, and causes of failed RA repair were defined for 20 patients requiring reoperation for recurrent hypertension or renal insufficiency. These parameters were compared with secondary procedures and eventual blood pressure and renal function response. The eventual outcome for these 20 patients was compared with 514 patients managed by primary renal revascularization during the same period. RESULTS: Failure of primary RA repair correlated with complex fibromuscular dysplasia requiring branch ex vivo reconstruction (p = 0.020). RA thrombosis frequently required nephrectomy (83%), whereas RA stenosis was successfully reconstructed (91 %; p = 0.001). Primary and secondary blood-pressure responses were equivalent (94% vs. 95% cured or improved); however, primary and eventual renal function responses differed significantly (p = 0.015), with seven patients dialysis-dependent on follow-up. Eventual dialysis dependence was associated with preoperative azotemia (p = 0.022), bilateral failure of primary RA repair (p = 0.007), and an increased risk of follow-up death (p = 0.002). Considering all 534 patients, failed RA repair demonstrated a significant and independent association with eventual dialysis dependence and decreased dialysis-free survival. CONCLUSIONS: Contemporary rates of reoperation after surgical RA repair are low. In properly selected patients, beneficial blood-pressure response is reliably observed after both primary and secondary operative procedures. However, secondary procedures are associated with a significant and independent risk of eventual dialysis dependence.     

Arterialization of the portal stump by right renal artery after portocaval shunt in the rat

Portosystemic shunts cause severe secondary effects, so that arterializations of the portal stump are planned to increase the blood supply to the liver. The aim of this study was to verify the technical feasibility of arterialization of the portal stump with the right renal artery in order to obtain a valid experimental model to study the pathophysiology of arterial revascularization of the liver. Twenty rats underwent end-to-side portocaval shunt + end-to-end anastomosis between the right renal artery and portal stump; another 20 rats were subjected to the same surgical procedure, but the portal stump underwent a reduction in size. In our study, both techniques gave good results, but the use of an operating microscope and good microsurgical training were essential in achieving a good patency rate (78.3%).     

Late revascularization of the renal artery: what are the prognostic criteria?]

Two patients with non functioning silent kidney on excretory urography and renal artery occlusion on angiography, underwent renal artery revascularization without severe hypertension or renal failure. Angiographic appearance of collateral circulation, histologic evidence of intact viable glomeruli and a normal sized kidney are necessary for successful results. Renal blood flow was restored in the two patients but one had slight return of function and the other patient showed no evidence of improvement. Both patients presented criteria for revascularization. The first case was a minor success on the renal scintigraphy. The return of renal function did not occur in the second case because of preexisting renal pathology. We therefore recommend histologic examination before every renal artery revascularization for chronic occlusion.     

Renal allograft artery stenosis.

Thirteen renal artery stenoses occurred in 127 renal allograft transplantations performed at the University of Cincinnati Medical Center over a four year period. The most common symptoms were hypertension and decreasing renal function occurring from three days to three years post transplantation. Eight lesions occurred in patients with a single artery and five when double arteries had been joined together prior to anastomosis rather than implanted separately. The most common causes of renal artery stenosis was intimal hyperplasia of the donor vessel distal to the anastomosis (8 patients), atheromatous plaques (2), technical failure (2), and external compression (1). Surgical correction was facilitated by a midline incision. Resection of the stenotic segment and reanastomosis was the preferred procedure. Surgical failure and recurrence of hypertension were associated with involvement of small arteries or distal arteriolar level. When kidneys with multiple arteries are available, Carrel patches should be used when possible; if not, they should be implanted separately rather than joined together prior to anastomosis, thus decreasing the possibility of creating turbulent blood flow.     

Pulmonary artery sling with tracheal stenosis —Primary repair in infancy—

Between 1984 and 1996 five infants underwent surgical repair of pulmonary artery sling associated with severe congenital tracheal stenosis. All infants had symptoms of severe respiratory distress and three of them required ventilator support preoperatively. ages ranged from 2 to 11 months (mean age 6 months). Complete tracheal rings were present in all patients as an associated lesion and right upper lobe tracheal bronchus in 3 patients. The length of tracheal stenosis ranged from 18 to 45 mm (median 40 mm). Three had associated intracardiac anomalies (Scimitar sydrome (1), VSD (1), double-outlet right ventricle with VSD (1), double-outlet right ventricle with pulmonary hypertension (1)). Surgical intervention was carried out through a right thoraco tomy (1) or median sternotomy (4). Cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) was used in 3 patients and extracorporeal membrane oxgenator (ECMO). in 1. All infants had reimplantation of the left pulmonary artery into the main pulmonary artery left anterior to the trachea. Four patients underwent simultaneous tracheoplasty using costal cartilage grafts and one had complete resection of obstructed trachea between the right upper lobe tracheal bronchus and carina. The length of resected trachea was about 30% of the entire length of the trachea. Three infants underwent simultaneous intracardiac repair. There was no hospital death. All were weaned from ventilatory support and extubated on 1 to 16 months (mean 4, 5 months) postoperatively. AS an additional procedure, aortopexy, removal of granulation tissue or balloon dilatation of the trachea were carried out in one patient each following tracheoplasty using cartilage grafts. There was one late death at 1 year postoperatively. Three of 4 survivors are doing well with no stridor. We adono stridor. We adovocate 1) early aggressive primary repair of pulmonary artrey sling with tracheal stenosis, 2) concomitant repair of tracheal lesion and intracardiac anomalies whenever possible, 3) application of CPB or ECMO to avoid cumbersome intubation technique, and 4) utmost effort to perform tracheal resection and end-to-end anastomosis.     

Coarctation of the abdominal aorta: current options in surgical management.

Coarctation or hypoplasia of the abdominal aorta is a rare cause of life-threatening hypertension. In most cases the mechanism of hypertension is elevated blood renin levels secondary to associated renal artery stenosis. Medical control of the hypertension is often difficult, and thus patients usually require renal artery revascularization combined with aortic bypass or replacement early in life. Current surgical management should optimize the use of autogenous methods of renal artery reconstruction including saphenous vein aortorenal bypass, splenorenal arterial anastomosis, hepatorenal saphenous vein bypass, and renal autotransplantation. In selected patients the reconstruction can be staged by correction of the renal artery stenosis and postponement of definitive repair of the aortic coarctation until it becomes hemodynamically significant.     

The occluded renal artery: durability of revascularization

Between 1970 and 1982, 50 patients (38 male and 12 female) underwent revascularization of 51 occluded renal arteries. Ages ranged from 8 to 71 years (mean 54.6 years). Occlusion was caused by atherosclerosis in 43 patients, fibromuscular dysplasia in three, chronic dissection in two, abdominal aortic coarctation in one, and neurofibromatosis in one. Contralateral renal artery occlusive disease occurred in 22 patients. Extrarenal atherosclerosis occurred in 44 patients. Mean preoperative serum creatinine level ranged from 0.5 to 8.4 mg/dl (mean 1.9 mg/dl). No patient required preoperative dialysis. Length of the involved kidney ranged from 8.4 to 14.5 cm (mean 11.5 cm). Indication for renal revascularization was hypertension in 49 patients and preservation of renal function in one. Renal artery bypass was performed in 36 patients, renal artery endarterectomy in six, transaortic endarterectomy in five, and reimplantation of the renal artery in three. Simultaneous revascularization of the contralateral renal artery was performed in 20 patients. There were three operative deaths. At hospital dismissal, hypertension had improved in 45 of 46 patients. Follow-up periods ranged from 4 months to 12 years (mean 50.2 months). Thirty-four patients remained normotensive, five still had less hypertension, and seven became worse. These data demonstrate that revascularization of an occluded renal artery can be effective in controlling hypertension and that this effect is durable in the majority of patients.     

肝门部胆管癌切除术中的血管切除重建

目的 探讨血管切除重建在肝门部胆管癌切除术中的价值.方法 2000年1月至2009年9月收治的肝门部胆管癌手术切除患者中,17例合并血管切除或重建,其中男性10例,女性7例,年龄30～72岁,平均53岁.病程4～30 d,平均(21±8)d.门静脉部分切除端端吻合6例,门静脉壁楔形切除、缝合修补3例,肝动脉结扎切除1例,肝动脉切除端端吻合2例,门静脉动脉化1例,1例同时行门静脉壁楔形切除+肝动脉结扎切除,2例同时行门静脉部分切除端端吻合+肝动脉部分切除端端吻合,1例同时行门静脉部分切除端端吻合+肝右动脉、胃十二指肠动脉端端吻合.对患者的临床资料进行分析.结果 住院死亡4例,病死率4/17,3例为术后出现肾功能不全后继发多器官功能衰竭,1例死于感染性休克.未死亡的13例患者中,6例恢复过程顺利,无并发症;7例发生并发症:3例胆瘘,1例呼吸衰竭,1例因U管阻塞发生胆管炎,1例腹腔内感染、门静脉血栓形成,1例远期门静脉狭窄、肝脓肿.中位生存期18个月,4例至今尚存活.结论 肝门部胆管癌切除联合血管切除重建有利于提高切除率但术后风险仍高,术后应警惕并发症的发生;肝动脉切除重建可能有利于降低术后风险.

Abstract：

Objective To investigate the value of vascular resection and reconstruction in resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma.Methods The clinical data of 17 patients with hilar cholangiocarcinoma received resection in combination with vascular resection and reconstruction from January 2000 to September 2009 was retrospectively analyzed.Among the 17 patients,6 underwent portal vein segmental resection and end-to-end anastomosis,3 underwent portal vein wedge resection,1 underwent hepatic artery ligature,2 underwent hepatic artery segmental resection and end-to-end anastomosis,1 underwent portal vein arterialization,1 underwent portal vein wedge resection and hepatic artery ligature simultaneously,2 underwent portal vein segmental resection and heapatic artery segmental resection and end-to-end anastomosis simultaneously,1 underwent portal vein segmental resection and right heapatic artery and gastroduodenal artery end-to-end anastomosis simultaneously.Results Four patients died and the mortality was 4/17.Three patients died of renal dysfunction followed with multiple organ dysfunction and 1 patient died of sepsis shock.Among the 13 survive patients,6 had a smooth postoperative recover and 7 developed complications:3 had bile leakage,1 had respiratory failure,1 had cholangitis due to obstruction of U tube,1 had abdominal infection and thrombosis in portal vein system and 1 had portal vein stenosis and liver abscess.Follow-up investigation showed that the median survival time was 18 months and four patients still alive.Conclusions Combination of vascular resection and reconstruction in the resection of hilar cholangiocarcinoma may help to improve the resection rate but still have a high postoperative risk.The complications of renal dysfunction should be alert during the postoperative observation.The procedure of hepatic arterial reconstruction may help to reduce postoperative morbidity.     

Adjunctive renal artery revascularization during juxtarenal and suprarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm repairs

Background

We report a 15-year experience with renal artery revascularization during abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair.

Methods

AAA repairs from 1994 to 2009 were reviewed. Postoperative complications, renal function, patency, and survival in patients undergoing renal artery revascularization were evaluated and compared with a control group of patients undergoing juxtarenal AAA repairs not requiring renal artery revascularization.

Results

Sixty patients underwent renal artery revascularization during AAA repair. Transient postoperative renal insufficiency occurred in 20 patients. Temporary hemodialysis was required in 3 patients, with none requiring permanent hemodialysis. There was 1 postoperative death. There was 1 renal artery revascularization failure at 1 month but no other graft failures at 12 months median follow-up evaluation (1-year patency, 97%). In comparison with the control group, transient renal insufficiency and pulmonary complications (33.3% vs 19.8%; P = .042) were more common with renal artery revascularization, with no differences in long-term renal complications or mortality.

Conclusions

Renal artery revascularization can be performed during AAA repair with excellent patency and minimal morbidity.     

The role of arterial reconstruction in spontaneous renal artery dissection

Spontaneous renal artery dissection is an uncommon cause of renovascular hypertension, usually associated with fibromuscular dysplasia. Among reported nonautopsy cases (N = 80), arterial reconstruction has seldom been attempted (N = 21) and the outcome has frequently been poor (48% clinical failure rate). This is attributed in part to the frequent involvement of renal artery branches by the dissection. Furthermore, the report of spontaneous reversion to normotension among patients treated medically has also clouded the role of surgery in this disease. Since progress in the technique of renal artery repair now allows successful treatment of anatomically complex lesions, we reviewed our experience with arterial reconstruction in the management of spontaneous renal artery dissection to determine the frequency of and factors correlating with cure after operative repair. Ten patients (eight men, two women; mean age, 39.3 +/- 5.9 years) were admitted with severe hypertension (10/10), often associated with neurologic symptoms, hematuria, or flank pain (8/10). Serum creatinine was elevated in only two patients. Angiography demonstrated changes consistent with fibromuscular dysplasia in 7 of 10 patients and evidence of dissection in 6 of 10. Bilateral disease was present in three patients. Only five patients had a single renal artery on the involved side. The dissection extended into the primary branches in 8 of 10 patients and involved both renal arteries in four of the five patients with two arteries. Histologic study confirmed fibromuscular dysplasia in six and intramural dissection in all operative specimens. Five patients underwent revascularization (in one case requiring the ex vivo technique), with use of hypogastric artery as a conduit in four of five or resection and primary reanastomosis in one of five. Three patients became normotensive, and two returned to their previous level of blood pressure control. Follow-up averaged 14.5 years. Two patients underwent nephrectomy after exploration demonstrated nonreconstructible vessels, and two underwent nephrectomy when intraoperative assessment of the kidney showed that revascularization had failed to adequately reverse extensive renal ischemia. After a mean follow-up of 14.6 years these patients remain normotensive, although two require antihypertensive medications. One patient was treated medically and is currently hypertensive off all medications. Nine of 10 patients have maintained a normal serum creatinine during follow-up. We conclude that renal revascularization is frequently successful in spontaneous renal artery dissection (five of seven, 71.4%) and results in sustained relief of hypertension with maximal conservation of renal tissue. This is important because of the young age at onset and the not infrequent occurrence of bilateral fibromuscular dysplasia, and even of dissection.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)