Evolving strategies for the repair of complex renovascular lesions

Fifty-five patients with 59 complex renovascular lesions required two or more branch artery anastomoses during aortorenal grafting. Forty-five reconstructions involving 112 branches were facilitated using hypothermic ex vivo perfusion preservation, whereas 14 involving 28 branches were repaired in situ. Ex vivo repair was used whenever the kidney was considered unreconstructable by in situ techniques. Fibromuscular dysplasia predominated and the branched internal iliac artery was used for renal artery substitution. There were no deaths and only one kidney (ex vivo) was lost. Branch vessel occlusion occurred in two of 140 anastomoses (1.4%). Ninety-eight per cent (51/52) of the heparinized patients had cure or improvement at mean follow-up of 5 years. No late graft dysfunction occurred in postoperative angiographic follow-up. The branched internal iliac artery is uniquely suited and remains the preference of the authors for the replacement of the diseased renal artery and its branches. The in situ repair is ideally suited for lesions limited to the renal artery bifurcation. Ex vivo repair is reserved for complex or reoperative distal arterial lesions. Unique characteristics in the group include: bilateral lesions (25%), solitary kidney (22%), reoperative lesions (16%), children (9%), and coexisting significant aortic disease (7%). In situ and ex vivo repair meet all the challenges of complex renovascular disease. The strategies outlined will achieve outstanding long-term total and segmental renal salvage in the treatment of hypertension or aneurysmal disease. When ex vivo repair is required, it can be accomplished with only one additional simple maneuver, the reanastomosis of the renal vein.