Laparoscopy-assisted reconstruction to treat severe aortoiliac occlusive disease: early and midterm results

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the consequences on patient selection and on early and midterm results of the learning curve of a surgical team performing laparoscopy-assisted surgery in the treatment of severe aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD).

Between January 1998 and June 2003, 58 patients (53 men, 5 women; mean age, 59.5 years [range, 37-76 years]) were included in a prospective study and underwent a laparoscopy-assisted aortofemoral reconstruction with graft implantation through a 5-cm to 8-cm minilaparotomy. Fifty-one patients (88%) had claudication (category 2 or 3, Rutherford classification), and seven patients (12%) had tissue loss; at presentation they had TransAtlantic Inter-Society Consensus C (n=24, 41.4 %) or D (n=32, 55.2%) iliac lesions, and the last 2 patients (3.4%) had severe aortic lesions. Perioperative data for the first 29 patients, obtained during the first 34 months of the study (group 1), were compared with data for the last 29 patients, obtained during the last 32 months of the study (group 2). Follow-up consisted of clinical examination or duplex scanning, or both, at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months and yearly thereafter, and computed tomography before discharge and then every 2 years.

One intraoperative surgical conversion (1.7%) was necessary, and two other patients (3.4%) died in the immediate postoperative period. With experience, initial contraindications such as obesity or suprarenal artery aortic clamping were eliminated, making it possible to increase the percentage of patients included, from 53.7% during the first 34 months to 90.6% during the last 32 months (P=.003). The mean duration of the operative procedure decreased from 285 minutes in group 1 to 192 minutes in group 2 (P<.001), and the mean duration of aortic clamping decreased from 76.4 minutes in group 1 to 31.8 minutes in group 2 (P<.001). The number of early repeat interventions was reduced from three (10.3%) in group 1 to 2 (6.9%) in group 2 (P=NS), and the clinical recovery period decreased from 7 days to 4.5 days (P=.05). During a mean follow-up of 26.7 months (range, 1-66 months) there were 5 repeat surgeries (9%) to treat late graft occlusion, establishing midterm primary and secondary patency rates of 89.3% and 91%, respectively. No aortic false aneurysms were detected, and no major amputations were performed.

These preliminary results assess the feasability and the safety of this minimally invasive video-assisted technique. A short period of postoperative recovery and good midterm patency rate are the two main benefits of this new surgical option.