New classification for juxta renal aortoiliac occlusion-based on imaging for safe clamping and contemporary surgical management results

Objectives: The objective is to decide the site of aortic clamping based on preoperative imaging and intraoperative findings and assess the outcomes on midterm follow-up in patients with juxtarenal aortoiliac occlusion (JRAIO) managed with aortic thromboendarterectomy and bypass grafting. Methods: Forty patients (39 males and one female) with JRAIO were managed with aortobifemoral bypass (ABFB). Two patients required concomitant superior mesenteric artery (SMA) bypass. The aortic clamping site was inter-renal, suprarenal, or supra-celiac, depending on the extent of thrombus relative to the renal artery and SMA ostia. We compared serum creatinine levels with renal ischemic time in the postoperative period. At the mean follow-up of 26.7 months, patients were assessed for graft patency, limb salvage, and survival rate. Results: The mean age of patients was 53.9 years, and 97.5% of patients were heavy smokers. Of the total patients, inter-renal clamping was done in 12.5%, suprarenal clamping in 70%, and supra-celiac clamping in 17.5%. Perioperative morbidity and mortality were 22.5% and 5%, respectively. Five patients with renal ischemic time ≥20 min developed acute kidney injury, showing a significant positive correlation (r = 0.465; P < 0.0001) with clamp time. Postoperative mean serum creatinine values also showed a significant difference (P = 0.0001) between <20 and ≥20 min groups. At follow-up, graft patency and limb salvage rates were 100%, and the survival rate was 97.4%. Conclusion: The risk of atheroembolic renal ischemia in ABFB for JRAIO can be lowered by good preoperative planning and safe intraoperative clamping technique, based on a simple classification for aortic clamping.