Laparoscopic-assisted abdominal aortic aneurysmectomy

The technical elements and early results of laparoscopic-assisted abdominal aortic aneurysmectomy are described.

From February 1997 to May 1999, 60 patients underwent elective laparoscopic surgery for infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm. Patients ranged in age from 53 to 87 years (mean age, 70.6 years). The mean aneurysm size was 5.7 cm (range, 4.4-8.0 cm). All patients underwent aortography and computed tomography scanning preoperatively. Patients were not deemed candidates for the procedure when visceral arterial abnormalities requiring surgical treatment were present or an aortic aneurysm neck shorter than 0.5 cm was found. A risk-stratification system was used as a means of quantitating risk factors and excluding high-risk patients. Aortic reconstruction was performed with retroperitoneal laparoscopy, with the patient in a modified right lateral decubitus position. An Endo TA 30 and an Endo TA 60 laparoscopic staplers (US Surgical, Norwalk, Conn) were used in occluding the common iliac arteries and aneurysm sac. Laparoscopic hemoclips were used as a means of occluding the lumbar arteries and other branches of the aneurysm sac. An aortobifemoral or aortobi-iliac bypass grafting procedure was performed by means of the laparoscope to position the graft and visualize the end-to-end aorta-to-graft anastomosis, with distal anastomoses performed through counter incisions.

Three patients died within 30 days of surgery (mortality rate, 5.0%). Complications included left ureteral injury (1), postoperative myocardial infarction (1), ileofemoral deep venous thrombosis (1), acute renal failure (2), colon ischemia (1), and infected graft limb requiring revision (1). The mean operative time was 7.7 hours, and the mean aortic cross-clamping time was 112 minutes. Compared with a contemporary consecutive series of 100 patients undergoing open transabdominal or retroperitoneal aneurysmectomy performed by the same group of surgeons, the laparoscopic patients had decreased length of stays in the intensive care unit and the hospital, with less need for ventilator support, earlier resumption of a regular diet, and an earlier return to normal activity. At the follow-up examinations, all bypass grafts were patent.

Laparoscopic-assisted aneurysmectomy is safe and effective and can be performed with good results. The longer operation time required is well tolerated in patients who are at good and moderate risk. Prior training in laparoscopic aortic surgery is necessary for surgeons to obtain the required level of expertise needed to perform these procedures. With these caveats, the results of our study suggest that laparoscopic-assisted aortic aneurysmectomy is appropriate for moderate-to-good risk (American Society of Anesthesiologists class of III or lower) operative candidates meeting standard criteria for aneurysm resection in whom preoperative computed tomography scan and biplane arteriography demonstrate a proximal aneurysm neck of 0.5 cm or larger and no need for visceral or internal iliac artery reconstruction. A randomized trial would be required to confirm the benefits of this procedure over open aneurysmectomy.