Total laparoscopic versus conventional abdominal aortic aneurysm repair: a case-control study.

Purpose: This study was designed to identify differences in the per- and postoperative outcomes between total laparoscopic and open surgical repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA).

Methods: We reviewed 30 patients who underwent total laparoscopic AAA repair between July 2003 and December 2004 (group I). This group was matched in a case-control fashion by AAA morphology and American Society of Anesthesiologists class with a group of 30 patients who underwent conventional AAA repair between April 1997 and May 2004 (group II). Proportions and categoric data were compared with a chi(2) test. Continuous data were compared with a Mann-Whitney test.

Results: The two groups had comparable characteristics of age and cardiovascular risk factors. The number of tube and bifurcated grafts was 13 for group I and 17 for group II. Median operative time was 255 minutes (range, 170 to 410 minutes) in group I and 200 minutes (range, 130 to 410) in group II (P <.001). Median aortic clamping time was 80 minutes (range, 35 to 110 minutes) in group I and 50 minutes (range, 24 to 150 minutes) in group II (P < .0001). Total blood loss was 1600 mL (range, 400 to 4000 mL) for group I vd 1000 mL (range, 100 to 2900) for group II (P < .01). The mortality rate was 3.3% for group I (1 patient) vs 6.6% (2 patients) for group II (NS). There were no significant differences between the two groups in terms of postoperative systemic complications (23.3% vs 30%, NS) and local and vascular complications (10% vs 3.3%). Duration of ileus (2 vs 3 days, P < .05), return to normal diet (4 vs 8 days, P < .0001), day of ambulation (3 vs 4 days, P < .05) and dose of narcotics (3.5 mg vs 28.5 mg, P < .05) were significantly lower in group I. Median length of intensive care unit stay was similar between the two groups (48 hours). Median hospital stay was lower in group I but without significant differences with group II (9 vs 11 days, NS).

Conclusion: This case-control study provides preliminary results that short-term outcomes of total laparoscopic AAA repair are comparable with those of open surgery. Peroperative data demonstrate that laparoscopy is more technically demanding than open repair. However, the technical challenge of laparoscopy does not worsen the postoperative course.