Experimental and clinical hepatorenal bypass as a means of revascularization of the right renal artery.

In patients with severe atherosclerosis of the abdominal aorta or previous operations on the abdominal aorta, right renal revascularization may be difficult to achieve using aortorenal bypass. An experimental study was performed demonstrating the efficacy of hepatorenal bypass as an alternative operative procedure in this regard. Follow-up studies in these dogs demonstrated no adverse postoperative effects on hepatic function or morphology. In addition, two patients underwent hepatorenal bypass with a saphenous vein graft as surgical treatment for azotemia and hypertension caused by atherosclerotic right renal artery stenosis. Postoperatively, the blood pressure diminished and renal function improved in both patients. No evidence of persistent hepatic dysfunction was observed.