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Background: Laparoscopic aortic surgery (LAS), performed since 1993, has undergone a number of technical improvements during recent years. The published results are comparable with those for open surgery. The aim of this article is to present the method with a focus on technical details, and at the same time present our experience with this technique., Material and Methods: Eight patients with debilitating intermittent claudication were operated with a total laparoscopic aortofemoral bypass. Operations were performed through a transperitoneal retrorenal approach. Median age of the patients was 61 years (range 51-76). All patients had an aortoiliac occlusive disease of type D according to the Transatlantic Inter Society Consensus (TASC). Prior to the procedures an operation team followed a structured training programme that comprised using a training model and operating on pigs, and visited an international referral centre., Results and Interpretation: All operations were successfully performed. No patient developed per- or post-operative complications. Median post-operative hospital stay was four days. LAS is a technically demanding procedure and it can be established through well targeted and carefully planned training.

Background: Stenting of malignant colorectal strictures has been used in the management of colorectal obstruction in order to convert acute into elective surgery ("bridge to surgery") as well as to avoid surgery in disseminated disease., Material and Method: There are increasing numbers of international publications available. We have identified English-language reports from Pubmed. In addition we present our results with our first fifteen patients., Results: The results reported in the international literature are encouraging and similar. Technical success rates were achieved in about 90%, stent migration and re-obstruction in about 10%. The results from our hospital were consistent with those in the international literature., Conclusion: Stenting of malignant colorectal strictures is an effective and safe definitive procedure in the palliation of malignant colorectal obstruction. Acute colorectal surgery may be converted into elective.