[Experimental and clinical studies on prevention of vascular prosthetic infection]

Since the treatment of infected vascular prosthetic graft is difficult, it is important to prevent graft infection. At the operation of aneurysmectomy, a part of aneurysmal wall was cultured. As a result, bacterial growth could be seen in 21 out of 58 cases (36%). In this experiment, expanded polytetrafluoroethylene (E-PTFE) graft was soaked in a solution of tobramycin (TOB) and tested for the prevention of graft infection. First, this E-PTFE graft with a TOB solution was tested for antithrombogenicity and patency rate, and secondly its effect of preventing graft infection was evaluated. 1. TOB had an effect of antithrombogenicity. 2. Patency rates of the E-PTFE graft with a TOB solution were as good as those of the graft soaked in a saline solution. 3. TOB concentration in the grafts was more than 100 micrograms/g after 6 hours from the implantation and more than MIC after 24 hours. 4. E-PTFE graft with a TOB solution had an effect of antibacteria. This study suggested that E-PTFE graft soaked in a TOB solution was effective to prevent graft infection.