Ascending aorta-abdominal aorta bypass: indications, technique, and report of 12 patients.

Use of the supraceliac segment of the abdominal aorta for ascending aorta-abdominal aorta bypass (AAAAB) offers a new technique for management of certain difficult surgical problems. Since 1973, we have performed AAAAB in 12 patients: 4 with recurrent coarctation of the thoracic aorta; 4 with coarctation of the thoracic aorta and associated cardiac lesions requiring a concomitant intracardiac procedure; 2 with recurrent aortoiliac occlusive disease (AIOD); 1 with interruption of the aortic arch requiring concomitant pulmonary artery banding; and 1 with coarctation of the abdominal aorta. In 3 of these patients (2 with recurrent AIOD and 1 with coarctation of the abdominal aorta) the distal anastomosis was made to the distal abdominal aorta or femoral arteries. Ten patients (83.3%) experienced satisfactory results; 2 patients (16.6%) died. The technique of AAAAB provides a practical solution to complex situations in which previous procedures preclude a standard operative approach, or when necessary concomitant procedures would otherwise require a two-stage operation.