Accuracy of disincorporation for identification of vascular graft infection.
OBJECTIVE
The presence or absence of prosthetic graft incorporation with surrounding tissue was assessed relative to bacterial culture results, using enhanced microbiologic culture techniques.


METHODS
Criterion standard.


METHODS
University and Veterans Affairs hospital.


METHODS
Prosthetic samples were removed from 113 aortofemoral, extra-anatomic, infrainguinal, and hemoaccess sites at the time of vascular reoperative surgery. Harvested grafts were sonicated. Density of organisms was determined by quantitative culture.


METHODS
The culture result was predicted from the status of prosthetic incorporation or disincorporation as determined at surgery. For purposes of this study, any bacterial growth represented graft infection.


RESULTS
Cultures positive for bacteria were obtained from 31 sites; cultures with no growth, from 82. Thirty-one of the 113 sites were disincorporated, of which 23 yielded cultures positive for bacteria, and eight, no growth. The remaining 82 sites were well incorporated, of which 74 yielded cultures negative for bacteria, and eight, bacterial growth. Sixteen (14%) incorrect predictions were noted. The concurrence of disincorporation and a culture positive for bacteria relative to all culture-positive grafts (sensitivity) was 74%. The concurrence of incorporation and cultures negative for bacteria relative to all culture-negative grafts (specificity) was 90% in prostheses implanted for longer than 2 weeks; in prostheses implanted for longer than 12 weeks, specificity was 97%.


CONCLUSIONS
The surgical finding of incorporation or disincorporation accurately predicted the culture result in 89% of the sites. Disincorporation correlated with presence of bacteria in 71%; incorporation reliably excluded the presence of bacteria in 97%.
Department of Surgery, New Jersey Medical School, University of Medicine and Dentistry of New Jersey, Newark.
F T
FT
Padberg
S M
SM
Smith
R H
RH
Eng
D001011:Aorta / Q000601:surgery; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000601:surgery; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005544:Forecasting; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000601:surgery; D006119:Groin / Q000098:blood supply; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D011475:Prosthesis Failure; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000382:microbiology; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012307:Risk Factors; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013203:Staphylococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D013290:Streptococcal Infections / Q000175:diagnosis; D014945:Wound Healing
D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene