Open repair for juxta-renal aortic occlusion in high-risk patients

Background: Juxtarenal aortic occlusion (JRAO) is an infrequent form of aortic occlusion, resulting from a proximal progression of a distal aortic thrombus. The occlusion at or above the level of renal arteries may present with features of renal failure or intestinal ischemia along with increased severity of pelvic and limb ischemia. Surgical treatment of JRAO is complex and usually involves suprarenal clamping and poses a significant morbidity and mortality risk. Nevertheless, the current literature supports superiority of surgical bypass with excellent long-term outcomes and remains the preferred modality in JRAO. We reviewed the results of open surgical bypass in JRAOs, done at our center over a 5-year period. Materials and Methods: A retrospective analysis of 35 patients who underwent JRAO over the past 5 years was performed. Demographic data, comorbidities, clinical presentation, and surgical results were analyzed. Results: Of the 35 patients who underwent open surgical bypass, 34 were male, and one was female. The median age of the cohort was 56 years. All the patients had either disabling claudication, rest pain or tissue loss at presentation. The notable comorbid conditions were hypertension (91%), diabetes (51%), coronary artery disease (71%), and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (37%). Direct aortic reconstruction was done in all cases, seven patients with critical limb ischemia underwent sequential infra-inguinal bypass, additional mesenteric bypass was done in one patient, renal artery revascularisation was done in three patients in the form of endarterectomy for two patients and aortorenal bypass in one patient. There was no perioperative mortality, and a 93% cumulative graft patency rate was noted. Conclusion: Open surgical reconstruction is a safe method for JRAO even in patients with comorbidities and offers excellent perioperative and long-term results.