Transabdominal or retroperitoneal approach to the aorto-iliac tract: a pulmonary function study.

An unselected consecutive series of 30 males, receiving an aorto-bifemoral Dacron graft for occlusive arterial disease, were randomised preoperatively to a transperitoneal or extraperitoneal approach. Pulmonary function tests (Forced Vital Capacity--Forced Expiratory Volume at 1 s) were performed once preoperatively and repeated four times postoperatively. As far as pulmonary function tests are concerned the results clearly demonstrated the superiority of the retroperitoneal to the transperitoneal approach. It is therefore recommended that the extraperitoneal approach should be used more frequently in reconstructive aorto-ilio-femoral surgery.