Percutaneous Drainage for Aortic Graft Infection Post-aneurysm Repair: A Viable Option?

Area of Science:

• Vascular Surgery
• Interventional Radiology
• Infectious Disease Management

Background:

• Aortic graft infection (AGI) management traditionally focuses on surgical intervention, often in palliative settings.
• Percutaneous drainage is explored as a less invasive alternative for AGI treatment.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety, efficacy, and clinical outcomes of percutaneous drainage for aortic graft infections (AGI).
• To assess AGI management following both open and endovascular aneurysm repair.

Main Methods:

• A retrospective review of 12 patients with AGI treated via percutaneous drain insertion.
• Procedures guided by ultrasound, CT, and/or fluoroscopy.
• Analysis of patient demographics, procedural details, and clinical outcomes.

Main Results:

• 58.3% of patients managed non-surgically with drainage and antibiotics; 41.7% used drainage as a bridge to surgery.
• Median drain placement duration was 55.2 days.
• No drain-related complications were observed; 50% of patients were alive at follow-up.

Conclusions:

• Percutaneous drainage is a safe and viable option for managing AGI.
• It can be used as a temporizing measure before surgical explantation or as definitive non-surgical therapy.
• This approach offers a valuable alternative in AGI management.