Redo aortic grafting after treatment of aortic graft infection

This study was performed to determine the indications, operative strategy, and hemodynamic benefit of redo aortic grafting procedures after earlier excision of an infected aortic graft.

Among 164 patients treated for aortic graft infection, 15 later underwent redo aortic grafting procedures an average of 18 months (range, 1 to 59 months) after removal of an infected aortic graft. Redo grafting procedures were performed for leg ischemia (n = 11) or infection (proven, n = 3; suspected, n = 1). The new aortic graft originated either from the distal thoracic aorta (n = 5) or from the juxtarenal aortic stump (n = 10). Follow-up averaged 56 months (range, 7 to 110 months).

All patients survived the redo grafting procedure. In the eleven patients who had ischemic symptoms, redo grafting procedures uniformly resulted in symptomatic improvement with an increase in ankle-brachial indexes (0.78 +/- 0.34 vs 0.50 +/- 0.29; p = 0.02). A graft limb occlusion developed in two of these patients (3 and 6 months), but no limbs were amputated. In the four patients who had proven or suspected extraanatomic bypass graft infection, there was one graft limb occlusion (29 months) and one amputation (17 months). Overall, recurrent graft infection occurred in three of 15 patients and may be more frequent in patients who have a proven extraanatomic bypass graft infection (2 of 3 vs 1 of 12; p = 0.08). Infection accounted for two of the three graft limb occlusions and two of the three late deaths. Recurrent infection was not associated with early (< 1 year) regrafting procedures, and culture results did not correlate with the microbiologic features of the primary infection.

Redo aortic grafting procedures can be performed safely and at relatively early intervals (6 to 12 months) after removal of the infected aortic graft. The procedure reliably relieves ischemic symptoms of the hemodynamically inadequate extraanatomic bypass graft. Reinfection remains a risk after redo aortic grafting procedures, particularly when treating established extraanatomic bypass graft infection.