title: Transabdominal access to the thoracic aorta for aortofemoral bypass grafting.
abstract: When acute thrombosis of the abdominal aorta occurs in a comatose patient, direct examination of the intraabdominal organs becomes mandatory. Once a laparotomy has been performed, media calcinosis of the infrarenal aorta is a contraindication to its use as an inflow source. We describe a technique for exposing the thoracic aorta through the abdomen, which obviates the need for a thoracoabdominal incision in such critically ill patients.
authors.affiliation: Division of Cardiovascular Surgery, St. Jude Medical Center, Fullerton, California 92635, USA.
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Tovar
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Del Campo
authors.forename: R E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: McCoy
authors.forename: R L
authors.initials: RL
authors.lastname: Ness
mesh_terms: D000714:Anastomosis, Surgical; D001012:Aorta, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery; D001013:Aorta, Thoracic / Q000601:surgery*; D001018:Aortic Diseases / Q000601:surgery*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D004630:Emergencies; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000601:surgery*; D006323:Heart Arrest / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000601:surgery; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D013927:Thrombosis / Q000150:complications / Q000601:surgery*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed