Carotid stent infection caused by Burkholderia pseudomallei successfully treated with surgery

Carotid stent infection is a rare but serious complication with potentially devastating consequences. We report the case of a 76-year-old man admitted with carotid stent infection, who underwent surgical removal of the stent and reconstruction of the common-internal carotid artery using an autologous saphenous vein graft. Microbiological cultures were positive for Burkholderia pseudomallei. The patient was discharged after 20 days of treatment in stable clinical condition with normalized laboratory examination. Surgical management provides an effective strategy for complete eradication of carotid stent infection and enables pathogen identification to guide targeted antibiotic therapy.