Treatment of infrarenal aortic aneurysm by minimally invasive retroperitoneal approach: use of a video-assisted technique.

We propose a technique for treating abdominal aortic aneurysm in which first a minilaparotomy (retroperitoneal) is performed to make a conventional arterial dissection; then, video assistance is used to control the left lumbar arteries and to make the aortic anastomosis. This technique can be performed with no significant laparoscopic capability.The patient was installed in a 20-degree right lateral decubitus. A transverse left 8- to 10-cm abdominal incision was made, followed by separation of the muscular structures. Retroperitoneal control of the proximal aortic neck and of both common iliac arteries was obtained by digital and instrumental dissection. A 30-degree laparoscope was then introduced through a 8- to 12-mm trocar and provided the light and magnification that facilitated the dissection of the posterior wall of the aortic neck and of the left flank of the aneurysm, looking for the lumbar arteries to be clipped. A suspended running suture to make the aorto-prosthetic anastomosis was facilitated by the magnification of the camera, especially during the passage of needles. Between March and September 2001, 32 patients fulfilled the anatomic conditions: an infrarenal aortic neck length of 2 cm or more, absence of hypogastric artery aneurysm, and no need for inferior mesenteric artery reimplantation. In 30 patients, the surgery was performed by using the planned minimally invasive approach, and extension of the incision was necessary in two patients.