Minimal—Access Aortic Surgery: The Potentials of Hand—Assisted Laparoscopy

Abstract

In analogy with the good results of laparoscopic abdominal procedures minimal-access aortic surgery looks very promising. However, in spite of the many technical improvements that have already been made, totally laparo-scopic and even laparoscopically assisted aortic surgery remains technically demanding. This explains the rather slow introduction of minimal-access aortic surgery in the vascular society. In anticipation of increasing surgical experience and better instrumentation that will make the technique feasible for each vascular surgeon, hand-assisted laparoscopy (HALS) can be a valuable intermediate approach. HALS offers an easy to perform and still clearly less invasive approach for all aorto-iliac reconstructions.

Key Words:

• Abdominal aorta
• laparoscopy
• minimally invasive surgery
• aorto iliac surgery

Additional information

Notes on contributors

I. Fourneau

Prof. Dr. I. Fourneau, M.D., Ph.D. Department of Vascular Surgery University Hospital Gasthuisberg Herestraat 49 B-3000 Leuven, Belgium Tel.: **3216346850 Fax: **3216346852 E-mail: [email protected]