[Surgical treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms. Risk factors and complications]. / Kirurgisk behandling av abdominale aortaaneurismer. Risikofaktorer og komplikasjoner.

Between January 1985 and April 1991 156 patients underwent surgery for abdominal aortic aneurysm at Nordland Regional Hospital. Of these, 90 underwent elective surgery; 36 were operated on for symptomatic aneurysm; 30 for ruptured aneurysm. The mortality rates were respectively 10%, 14% and 47%. Surgery for aortic aneurysm is on the increase. Advanced age, and associated serious cardiac disease predispose to postoperative complications and death. To reduce mortality better preoperative evaluation and treatment are essential.

[Abdominal aortic surgery. Transperitoneal or retroperitoneal approach?]. / Abdominal aortakirurgi. Transperitoneal eller retroperitoneal tilgang?

During the past five years a retroperitoneal approach was used in 34 patients and the transabdominal route in 49 patients for treatment of abdominal aortosclerosis. Both groups were identical with respect to age, sex and preoperative morbidity. In patients with previous laparotomy the retroperitoneal approach was always chosen. There was no significant difference with regard to postoperative complications. The only significant difference between the two groups after the operation was a trend towards earlier defecation among the patients treated by the retroperitoneal approach. We can not demonstrate any important advantage or disadvantage of the retroperitoneal approach. The transabdominal approach provides an opportunity to examine the abdominal organs for malignancy. We found one asymptomatic gastric cancer. The retroperitoneal approach is particularly suitable in patients who have undergone laparotomy before for expected severe abdominal adhesions.

[Surgical treatment of aortic occlusion and obliterating aorto-iliac arteriosclerosis]. / Kirurgisk behandling av aortaokklusjon og oblitererende aortoiliakal arteriosklerose.

From 1985 to March 1991, 83 patients with the diagnosis aortoiliac obliteration and aortic occlusion were operated on at the Department of Surgery, Nordland Central Hospital. The main symptom was claudicatio intermittens. 16 patients had pain while at rest, and two had gangrene. The surgical technique was either Y-prosthesis or thrombendarterectomy. Four patients (4.8%) died postoperatively, three of myocardial infarction and one of intestinal ischemia and peritonitis. In our study 66 patients with aortoiliacal atherosclerosis were compared with 17 patients with aortic occlusion. Patients with aortoiliacal atherosclerosis demonstrated by angiography had much more severe infrainguinal arterial pathology. In the occlusion group the postoperative outcome, as measured by ankle/brachial index, was significantly better (p < 0.01). The study included four female patients less than 50 years of age with total infrarenal aortic occlusion. Their symptoms and signs are discussed.

[Surgical treatment of acute intestinal ischemia. Successful treatment with embolectomy of the superior mesenteric artery]. / Kirurgisk behandling av akutt tarmiskemi. Vellykket behandling med embolektomi av a. mesenterica superior.

We describe a patient with acute intestinal ischemia successfully treated with embolectomy of the superior mesenteric artery. Over the last four years, 11 patients with the same disease were treated with bowel resection at Nordland Regional Hospital. The mortality rate after bowel resection was 45%. Long duration of symptoms, and high frequency of associated cardiovascular disease was characteristic. In elderly patients with acute abdominal pain and cardiovascular disease, a diagnosis of acute mesenterial ischemia should be seriously considered. In patients with acute mesenteric ischemia and no bowel necrosis, embolectomy must be considered in preference to bowel resection.