A minimally invasive approach for aortobifemoral bypass procedure

Surgical aortobifemoral bypass procedure for aortoiliac occlusive disease remains the gold standard treatment despite rapidly expanding range of indications for endovascular repair. Besides several disadvantages such as dysparaesthesias, hernias, and unpleasant outcome, transperitoneal exposure of the aorta is also associated with operative autonomic nerve injury. In five male patients, infrarenal aorta was exposed through a small (8 cm) supraumbilical midline incision. Incision of the posterior peritoneum above the infrarenal aorta was limited to 3 cm. A 1 cm infraumbilical incision allowed transperitoneal placement of the distal aortic clamp outside of the operative field. Four centimeters transverse incisions were made over the femoral bifurcations and implantation of the aortobifemoral graft followed. Extubation was performed after an operating time of 200 to 150 minutes with 30 to 20 minutes aortic clamping time. Nonopioids or nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs were intermittently administered during 12 hours of intermediate care unit monitoring. Oral alimentation started 6 hours and complete mobilization at 48 hours postoperatively. Hospital discharge followed on the fourth to tenth postoperative day. This minimally invasive technique allows a precise and controlled open performance of all vascular anastomoses minimizing intraoperative and postoperative complications and significantly decreasing patient discomfort related to standard abdominal surgery.