Ex Vivo Renal Artery Reconstruction

Ex vivo renal artery reconstruction and autotransplantation is a relatively recent addition to the surgical armamentarium for renal vascular hypertension. Ten consecutive patients were con-sidered for this surgical therapy and form the basis of this com-munication. The patients were treated by a combination of methods including bilateral ex vivo reconstruction, unilateral in situ and contralateral ex vivo reconstruction, and unilateral ex vivo reconstruction and contralateral nephrectomy. Replacement of the diseased segment of the renal artery in all ex vivo recon-struction consisted of arterial autografts including hypogastric artery, splenic artery, common iliac, and external iliac artery. In the ex vivo reconstruction, the ureter was either left intact or was transected and reconstructed by standard ureterovesicle implan-tation. After surgery all patients became normotensive without antihypertensive medication. Although this is a relatively smal