CT evaluation of complications of abdominal aortic surgery

The authors conducted a retrospective analysis of the CT findings in 29 consecutive patients being studied to detect complications of aortofemoral bypass surgery. Presenting symptoms included fever in 22 (76%), gastrointestinal bleeding in 2 (7%), a pulsating mass in 3 (10%), jaundice in 1 (3%), and back pain in 1 (3%). The complications observed most frequently were groin infection in 7 (24%), abdominal perigraft abscess in 11 (38%), pseudoaneurysm in 6 (21%), aortoenteric fistula in 3 (10%), and lymphocystic hematoma in 3 (10%). There were no false negatives, and the overall accuracy and sensitivity of CT in detecting complications was 100%. The authors recommend that CT be performed prior to angiography or surgery whenever an abscess, pseudoaneurysm, or aorto-enteric fistula is suspected.