Salvage of Infected Prosthetic Grafts at the Groin or Thigh Using Muscle Flap Coverage

Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate early- and long-term outcomes in patients who undergo muscle flap coverage (MFC) for prosthetic graft infections (PGIs) at the groin or thigh. Materials and Methods: We retrospectively retrieved and analyzed data on infected wound cures, recurrence, graft and limb salvage, and survival of patients who underwent MFC for PGI at the groin or thigh between 2000 and 2018. Results: There were eight patients in our cohort: six had groin PGIs and two had thigh PGIs. Moreover, of these patients, seven were treated from sartorius muscles and one from a gracilis muscle. The indicated wounds healed in all eight patients, but two patients died during hospitalization. Three patients suffered recurrence within 8 months, one of which overcame the infection and achieved wound cure without graft removal, with negative pressure wound therapy. No patients lost their limbs during the follow-up term (mean, 24 months; range, 1-60 months). Finally, four patients (50%) survived without removal of the infected graft for longer than 2 years. Conclusion: MFC can be a curative treatment for PGI, but there remains a possibility of a recurring infection thereafter.