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Infected endovascular stents managed with medical therapy alone
O Myles1, W J Thomas, J T Daniels
1Internal Medicine Service, Walter Reed Army Medical Center, Washington, D.C, USA.
Summary
Infectious complications from endovascular stents are rare but challenging to manage. Successful treatment with antibiotics alone was achieved in two cases, suggesting a potential medical management strategy.
Area of Science:
- Cardiovascular Medicine
- Infectious Diseases
- Medical Device Technology
Background:
- Endovascular stents are widely used, with over 400,000 placed annually in the US.
- Infectious complications post-stenting are infrequent, occurring in less than 0.01% of cases.
- Optimal treatment strategies for stent infections, whether medical or surgical, are not well-defined.
Observation:
- Two patients presented with confirmed endovascular stent infections.
- Both cases involved complex clinical scenarios requiring careful diagnosis and management.
Findings:
- Both patients were successfully treated with a course of antibiotics alone.
- No surgical intervention was required for the resolution of the infections.
Implications:
- Antibiotic therapy alone may be a viable and effective treatment option for select cases of endovascular stent infections.
- These findings could influence future clinical guidelines for managing stent-related infections.
- Further research is warranted to establish the role of medical management in endovascular stent infections.