Background: In this study, we evaluated patients who underwent surgery for chronic total occlusion of the abdominal aorta in our clinic retrospectively.

Methods: Twenty consecutive male patients (mean age 61.8±8.0 years; range 44 to 76 years) who underwent surgery in our clinic for chronic total occlusion of the abdominal aorta between March 2001 and December 2009 were included in this study. All patients were operated on electively. Four patients (20%) had undergone previous coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. The occlusion of the abdominal aorta was documented with angiography in all patients. Juxtarenal aorta occlusion occurred in six patients (30%), occlusion of the suprarenal aorta in three patients (15%), and occlusion of the infrarenal abdominal aorta in 11 patients (55%). An aortobifemoral bypass and abdominal aortic thromboendarterectomy were performed in all patients. The left kidney was revascularized with a saphenous vein graft in one patient (5%).

Results: There was complete immediate success with no mortality. No complications occurred during or after the operation. The average duration of hospital stay was 7.1±1.4 (range 5 to 11 days) and an average intensive care unit stay was 2.4±0.6 (range 1 to 3) days. Neither revision nor reintervention was required during hospitalization.

Conclusion: Considering our experience, aortic reconstructive surgery is a successful option for the management of chronic suprarenal, juxtarenal, and, infrarenal abdominal aortic occlusions.

Keywords : Aortic occlusion; atherosclerosis; bypass graft; renal artery