Mycotic aneurysm of the subrenal abdominal aorta: extra anatomical reconstruction in five patients

Between 1988 and 2001, five patients with mycotic aneurysm of the abdominal aorta underwent surgery. Extra-anatomical reconstruction with axillo-bifemoral bypass grafting was performed in all patients. The hospital mortality rate was 20%. During the follow-up period two patients presented thrombosis of the axillo-bifemoral bypass, descending aorto-bifemoral bypass was performed in one. Extra-anatomic revascularization is a satisfactory procedure in the treatment of mycotic abdominal aortic aneurysm. The results are acceptable and the prognosis is mainly related to the underlying pathology and the severity of the infection.