Thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair with sequential visceral perfusion: A technical note

The aim of this study was to develop a method for type III and type IV thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAA) repair that reduces ischemia time to the abdominal viscera, spinal cord, and lower extremities. Over a 25-month period, five type IV TAAs and three type III TAAs were repaired with a trifurcated polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) graft to bypass three of four visceral vessels and another graft to reconstruct the thoracoabdominal aorta. The trifurcated graft was sewn end-to-side to an unaffected area of descending thoracic aorta. Sequential end-to-end bypasses to the left renal, superior mesenteric, and celiac arteries followed this anastomosis. The remaining TAA was then replaced with a Dacron tube or bifurcated graft by clamping distal to the trifurcated graft so as to maintain visceral and left renal artery perfusion. Implantation of the right renal artery into the Dacron graft completed visceral artery reconstruction. The postoperative results indicate the feasibility of type III and IV TAA repair using tangential thoracic aortic clamping, individual aortic branch vessel reconstruction, and separate distal revascularization. This operative technique decreases ischemia time to the abdominal viscera, spinal cord, and lower extremities.