Purpose: This study was undertaken to determine whether videoendoscopic thoracic aorta-to-femoral artery bypass is a technically feasible operation.
Methods: An acute canine study involving five mongrel dogs was carried out. After the dogs had been given a general anesthetic, the femoral arteries were exposed in the traditional fashion. On the left side, a retroperitoneal, retrorenal tunnel was extended from the common femoral artery to the diaphragm. Under videoendoscopic control, the tunnel was opened through the posterior thoracic attachments of the diaphragm into the thoracic cavity. A Dacron graft was tunneled from the thoracic cavity on the left to the left groin. The thoracic aorta was controlled with a side-biting clamp, and an endoscopically performed end graft-to-side thoracic aortic anastomosis was created. After completion of the thoracic anastomosis, the left femoral anastomosis was created in a traditional manner. A left-to-right femoral bypass completed the lower extremity vascular procedure. An open thoracotomy was avoided.
Results: Videoendoscopic thoracic aorta-to-femoral artery bypass was successfully performed in all five animals. All components of the thoracic procedure, including exposure, dissection, vessel control, cross-clamping, and anastomosis, were performed through the thoracic ports with conventional laparoscopic instruments. Blood loss was minimal. All animals survived the procedure before being killed.
Conclusion: Videoendoscopic thoracic aorta-to-femoral artery bypass is a technically feasible operation in a canine model. Advantages of this unique approach over the experimental laparoscopic and the traditional transperitoneal open aortofemoral bypass include ease of aortic exposure, ability to control a segment of disease-free aorta, and anastomosis in a disease-free segment of aorta. Potential advantages include decreased perioperative morbidity rates with the videoendoscopic approach. Before there is clinical consideration of this surgical approach, long-term experiments are required to demonstrate the safety of the procedure.