Robot-assisted laparoscopic aortobifemoral bypass for aortoiliac occlusive disease: a report of two cases.

This article describes the use of robotic technology in laparoscopic aortobifemoral bypass grafting. In two patients with disabling intermittent claudication on the basis of severe aortoiliac occlusive disease, laparoscopic aortobifemoral bypass grafting was performed with a proximal end-to-side anastomosis constructed with robotic arms that had been mounted on the operating table and were controlled from a separate console. No complications occurred. Operating times were 290 and 260 minutes, and aortic anastomosis times were 48 and 37 minutes, respectively. Blood loss was less than 200 mL in both cases. A normal diet was resumed on the second postoperative day, and the patients were discharged home on postoperative days 4 and 6. To our knowledge, this is the first report on robot-assisted laparoscopic aortobifemoral bypass in the world literature.