Infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in presence of coronary artery disease: optimization of myocardial stress by controlled phlebotomy.

The repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) in the presence of significant coronary artery disease (CAD) carries a high-risk of adverse peri-operative cardiac event. The options to reduce cardiac risk include perioperative beta-blockade, preoperative optimization by myocardial revascularization and simultaneous (combined) coronary artery bypass grafting and aneurysm repair. We describe intra-operative controlled phlebotomy to optimize myocardial stress during repair of infrarenal AAA in a patient with significant stable CAD.