Management of infected grafts and mycotic aneurysms of the aorta using cryopreserved homografts

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of the treatment of infected prosthetic grafts and mycotic aneurysms of the aorta with cryopreserved homografts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between April 1994 and May 2002, 15 cryopreserved aortic homografts were used in 13 patients in the thoracic and abdominal aortic position with supplementary omental or pectoral muscle wrapping for infected grafts (n=11), and mycotic aneurysms (n=2) (mean age: 57.5). RESULTS: One patient died due to multiorgan failure and the other due to postoperative cerebral hemorrhage (15.38%). Another patient died four months after the operation due to septic arthritis, and coronary heart disease. Ten patients are still alive without evidence of infection (76.92%) during a follow up of 44+/-23.03 (range 4-71) months. CONCLUSION: The use of cryopreserved homografts with supplementary omentum and/or muscle flap coverage, assures an anatomical reconstruction with good results in this difficult group of patients.