Treatment for Aortic Graft Infection

Nine patients with an aortic graft infection presented after undergoing aortic grafting. Seven of 9 patients underwent an initial aortic reconstruction in our hospital. The incidence of aortic graft infection was 1.5% (7/456). There were 6 cases of paraprosthetic infection and 3 cases of aortointestinal fistulas. The treatments consisted of a complete graft excision and an axillofemoral bypass in 6 patients, a complete graft excision alone, a partial graft excision and a femorofemoral bypass, and the preservation of the graft with omental wrapping and irrigation in 1 each. Broad-spectrum antibiotics were intravenously administered to all patients and were then replaced by selective antibiotics for the responsible organisms. All surviving patients received antibiotics orally for 3–6 months. The early postoperative mortality rate was 11.1%. Aortoduodenal fistula occurred in 1 patient with graft excision alone. Graft thrombosis occurred in 2 patients with an axillofemoral bypass. No late graft infection or stump blowout occurred in any patient. We believe that a complete excision of the infected graft as well as the maintenance of distal tissue perfusion is necessary. However, based on the condition of the patient, the appearance of the operating field, and the difficulty of a repeat operation, we would like to stress the importance of selecting the best and safest treatment plan for each case. Received: August 26, 1999 / Accepted: July 25, 2000     

Infection of an Abdominal Aortic Stent Graft with Suprarenal Attachment

Stent grafting for treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysm can lead to infectious complications. The purpose of this report is to describe a case involving a patient with an aortobiliac stent graft, a horseshoe kidney, and coronary artery disease who presented suprarenal aortic infection requiring removal of the stent graft and in situ reconstruction using an arterial homograft. The discussion deals with management of infected vascular material and reconstruction techniques.     

Successful Coaxial Double-Vein Graft for Infrarenal Aortic Pseudoaneurysm Due to Salmonella Infection Associated with Hepatic Resection for Hepatocarcinoma

This is a case of aortic pseudoaneurysm due to Salmonella aortitis successfully treated by coaxial double-vein graft replacement (femoral vein and internal jugular vein) associated with hepatic resection for hepatocarcinoma. The aim of the technique is to improve the solidness of the vascular anastomosis and the tensile strength of the autologous vein graft, thus preventing long-term degeneration. Simultaneous hepatic resection did not affect clinical outcome. At 5-year follow-up, neither morphological alteration of the double-vein graft nor neoplastic relapse of the hepatocellular carcinoma was observed. This surgical technique could potentially improve long-term outcome and could therefore be considered a useful modification of the classic femoral vein graft for substitution of the septic infrarenal aorta when an extension to the iliac or femoral artery is not necessary.     

Multidisciplinary Treatment Approach for Prosthetic Vascular Graft Infection in the Thoracic Aortic Area

Prosthetic vascular graft infection in the thoracic aortic area is a rare but serious complication. Adequate management of the complication is essential to increase the chance of success of open surgery. While surgical site infection is suggested as the root cause of the complication, it is also related to decreased host tolerance, especially as found in elderly patients. The handling of prosthetic vascular graft infection has been widely discussed to date. This paper mainly provides a summary of literature reports published within the past 5 years to discuss issues related to multidisciplinary treatment approaches, including surgical site infection, timing of onset, diagnostic methods, causative pathogens, auxiliary diagnostic methods, antibiotic treatment, anti-infective structures of vascular prostheses, surgical treatment, treatment strategy against infectious aortic aneurysms, future surgical treatment, postoperative systemic therapy, and antimicrobial stewardship. A thorough understanding of these issues will enable us to prevent prosthetic vascular graft infection in the thoracic aortic area as far as possible. In the event of its occurrence, the early introduction of appropriate treatment is expected to cure the disease without worsening of the underlying pathological condition.     

Rabbit Model for the Study of Aortic Graft Infection

Despite improvements in surgical technique and antimicrobial therapy, prosthetic aortic graft infections remain a challenging clinical problem. Diagnosis is difficult, and treatment results are less than optimal. An animal model is needed that will allow critical investigation of novel approaches in the therapy of aortic graft infections. Three-millimeter internal diameter polytetrafluoroethylene vascular prostheses were anastomosed as aortic interposition grafts in 25 rabbits. Increasing concentrations of Staplglococcus aureus (no bacteria to 1 × 10⁸) were applied topically to inserted grafts to initiate infection. There were 15 long-term survivors. Surviving rabbits were sacrificed at 2 weeks postoperatively to evaluate the development of aortic graft infection. Of the 15 survivors, 6 developed graft infection. All infected prosthetic aortas were innoculated with 1 × 10⁴ or higher concentrations of S. aureus. A cost-effective, reliable model has been developed suitable for the study of prosthetic aortic infection.     

A Case of Ruptured Desceding Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm Due to Salmonella Infection

A 66-year-old male was admitted to our hospital because of pyrexia, chest pain and hemosptum. Inflammatory findings were made and salmonella enteritidis was detected by bacterial examination of sputum and stool. Enhanced chest CT examination disclosed a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm which had ruptured into the left lower lobe of the lung. Under a diagnosis of ruptured mycotic descending thoracic aortic aneurysm, an emergency operation was performed. A left posterolateral thoracotomy carried out after axillo-bilateral femoral bypass grafting. A pseudoaneurysm of the descending thoracic aorta had ruptured into the left lower lobe of the lung. After resection of the aneurysm, closure of both ends of the intact descending thoracic aorta and a left lower lobectomy were carried out. An ascending aorta-infrarenal abdominal aorta bypass was performed because of insufficien visceral arterial blood flow through the axillo-bilateral femoral bypass. The patient’s immediate postoperative recovery was complicated by paraplegia. Chloramphenicol and levofloxacin were administered for three months, after which his recovery followed a good course.     

Aortic Graft Infection from Appendicitis. A Case Report

Fifteen years after aortobifemoral bypass and five years after left femoropopliteal bypass, a 73-year old man presented with a vague abdominal pain syndrome. After an extensive work-up, aortobifemoral graft infection was suspected ; an appendiceal abscess infiltrating the prosthesis was discovered during exploratory laparotomy. Appendectomy was performed followed by removal of the vascular graft, the latter being replaced by a bilateral axillofemoral prosthesis. Aortic graft infection from appendicitis is an extremely rare condition ; a review of similar cases is presented.     

四分支人工血管置换术治疗主动脉弓部疾病

目的总结应用深低温停循环(DHCA)、顺行选择性脑灌注(ASCP)四分支人工血管置换术治疗主动脉弓部疾病的方法和经验。方法2004年9~12月,日本群马心血管病中心心血管外科应用四分支人工血管置换治疗主动脉弓部疾病12例,其中主动脉瘤7例(4例为升主动脉瘤累及主动脉弓部、3例为主动脉峡部瘤),主动脉夹层动脉瘤5例(DeBakey型1例、DeBakey型3例、DeBakey型1例)。在深低温停循环下应用球囊灌注管对3个头臂动脉行选择性脑灌注,用四分支人工血管行主动脉弓置换;其中Bentall手术加主动脉弓部/右半弓置换各1例,全弓部置换3例,右半弓置换3例,弓降部置换4例;12例手术中2例行象鼻手术。结果全组12例患者恢复良好,无脑部及其它系统并发症发生。手术时间5.5±1.7h,术中深低温停循环时间42.2±12.9min;术中4例未输血;术后住院时间22.3±7.2d。结论顺行选择性脑灌注对脑保护安全可靠,应用四分支人工血管置换术治疗主动脉弓部疾病可缩短深低温停循环的时间,降低弓部置换手术的复杂程度。     

Influence of Patient Characteristics and Treatment Options on Outcome of Patients with Prosthetic Aortic Graft Infection

This study was undertaken to determine the influence of patient characteristics and treatment options on survival and limb loss after treatment of prosthetic aortic graft infection. Fifty-three patients treated for prosthetic aortic graft infection were reviewed. Twenty-three presented with groin infection, 12 with sepsis, 10 with aortoenteric fistula, 4 with limb ischemia, and 4 with pseudoaneurysm. Treatment included staged extraanatomic bypass (EAB) plus graft excision in 23 patients, simultaneous EAB and graft excision in 18, in situ graft replacement in 5, and local therapy only in 7. Axillofemoral bypass was done for revascularization in 53 limbs and axillopopliteal bypass in 16 limbs. The results of this study showed that morbidity and mortality of prosthetic aortic graft infection is influenced by the presentation and type of treatment of the infected graft. Staged axillofemoral bypass (when possible) plus graft excision appears to be associated with acceptable outcome (survival with limb salvage in 74%).