Community Hospital Experience With Bovine Tissue in Infected Vascular Fields

Background Vascular prosthetic graft infections are rare but associated with high morbidity and mortality. Treatment involves removal of the infected graft requiring arteriotomy closure. Previously this was performed with autologous graft, but bovine tissue has increasingly been used. The objective of this paper is to review the community hospital experience with bovine tissue repair in an infected vascular field. Materials and Methods A retrospective review of all cases performed by a single surgeon in a community hospital for infected prosthetic grafts was completed. Sixteen cases were included where bovine tissue was used for repair. Presentation, location of graft, and causative organism were reviewed, and outcomes including reoperation and mortality were recorded. Results Of the 16 patients, 15 (94%) had positive cultures of the graft. Methicillin-Resistant Staph Aureus was the most commonly isolated organism (50%). There were 3 unplanned reoperations including a revision from below to above knee amputation, drainage of a hematoma, and a wound debridement within the first year. Over the 1 year follow up period, 3 patients died for a mortality of 19%. There were no reinfections during follow-up. Discussion Prosthetic graft infection is a rare but serious vascular surgery complication. The causative organism has shifted in the last few years to become increasingly drug resistant. Treatment requires excision, and bovine tissue has been demonstrated to provide a safe and durable method of repair.

Incidence of prosthetic graft infection following lower limb and open AAA repair surgery at the Manchester Vascular Centre

Poster Presented at BAPIO Annual Conference London 2019 Reviewed by Subarna Chakravorty PhD & Sunil Daga PhD

Bartonella Quintana prosthetic aortitis successfully treated with doxycycline

Bartonella quintana is a rare cause of culture-negative endovascular infection, characterised by intracellular persistence. We describe a case of ascending aortic prosthetic graft infection due to B. quintana, in a patient with past unrecognised necrotising aortitis, which was successfully treated with doxycycline monotherapy.