ABSTRACT
Infection of arterial prosthetic grafts is one of the most challenging and devastating complications faced by the vascular surgeon. When peripheral arterial grafts are involved, this complication is typically associated with a mortality rate of 9-36% and a limb loss rate of 27-79%.[1-4]
When an aortic prosthesis is involved, mortality ranges from 25 to 88% in spite of aggressive management.[1,5,6]
Traditionally, this includes total graft excision, debridement of infected tissue and revascularization through noninfected tissue planes if inadequate collateral circulation exists. Veith was one of the first to suggest graft preservation as a possible alternative.[7] While it is fortunately uncommon, graft infection remains a difficult problem in terms of management. This chapter outlines current modalities important in preventing, diagnosing, and treating these serious complications.
