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Perigraft air is not always pathological: a case report.
Elizabeth Ball1, Gareth Morris-Stiff, Mari Coxon
1Department of Surgery, Royal Glamorgan Hospital, Ynysmaerdy, Llantrisant, UK. garethmorrisstiff@hotmail.com.
Journal of Medical Case Reports
|August 19, 2007
Summary
Perigraft air after abdominal aortic aneurysm repair is common and likely normal in the early post-operative period. This finding, especially when appearing later with fever, does not necessarily indicate graft infection and can be managed conservatively.
Area of Science:
- Vascular Surgery
- Radiology
- Infectious Disease
Background:
- Perigraft air is a common finding after abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair.
- Later appearance of perigraft air with inflammatory markers suggests graft infection.
- The significance of perigraft air timing post-surgery is unclear.
Purpose of the Study:
- To determine the clinical significance of perigraft air following AAA repair.
- To establish the timeline at which perigraft air becomes a concerning finding.
Main Methods:
- Case report of a 71-year-old male post-AAA repair.
- Computed tomography (CT) scan performed 15 days post-surgery due to unexplained pyrexia.
- Conservative management of identified perigraft air and small hematoma.
Main Results:
- CT scan revealed perigraft air and a small hematoma 15 days post-AAA repair.
- Patient presented with unexplained pyrexia.
- Complete resolution of perigraft air and hematoma observed after 6 weeks of conservative management.
Conclusions:
- Early postoperative perigraft air following AAA repair is likely a normal finding.
- Perigraft air in the early phase is not associated with graft infection.
- Conservative, non-operative management is appropriate for early perigraft air.
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