Juxtarenal abdominal aneurysmectomy

The term juxtarenal abdominal aneurysm is used to describe an aneurysm whose neck is level or adjacent to the origin of one or both renal arteries. Misinterpretation of these appearances could result in the operation being abandoned with the erroneous diagnosis of suprarenal aneurysm. We report 38 patients with a median age of 66 who underwent juxtarenal aneurysm repair, 18 of whom had been diagnosed as having an abdominal aneurysm extending above the renal arteries. Computed tomography, duplex scanning and selective aortography in 7 cases, failed to reveal the true nature of the aneurysm owing to the upper part of the sac lying over the origin of the renal arteries, resulting in aortic tortuosity at this point. The true extent of the aneurysm was best demonstrated by aortography performed in the lateral position. The operations were undertaken through a long midline incision. The aorta is cross-clamped at the supra-renal level and the proximal anastomosis is performed from inside the aneurysm at the level of the renal arteries. The occluding clamp is subsequently re-positioned over the graft ensuring restoration of renal flow and the distal anastomosis is completed in a routine manner. Associated renal artery disease in three hypertensive patients was simultaneously reconstructed. Unfavourable anatomical conditions led to re-implantation of the renal artery in one case and transection with interposition of a vein graft in another. 95% of the patients survived to leave hospital.