Use of superficial femoral vein in the treatment of infected aortoiliofemoral prosthetic grafts.
OBJECTIVE
To assess the use of the superficial femoral vein for the reconstruction of the aortoiliofemoral sector in the treatment of prosthetic infections.


METHODS
From December 1995 to November 1999, 12 patients with infection involving a synthetic vascular prosthesis were submitted to thirteen surgical procedures involving partial or total resection of a synthetic vascular prosthesis and restoration of arterial flow with an in situ femoral vein.


RESULTS
The overall operative mortality rate was 15.3% (2 out of 3 patients who underwent total graft replacement and 0 out of 9 patients who underwent unilateral graft replacement). Major amputations related to the surgical procedures were performed in two cases (an 87.5% rate of limb salvage). The series was followed up on average for 22 months (range: 6-65 months). No patient presented clinically significant edema or signs of chronic venous insufficiency in the lower limbs used as donors of autogenous venous grafts. All surviving patients presented complete resolution of the infectious signs and symptoms and none of them presented late thrombosis of the venous graft.


CONCLUSIONS
The use of the superficial femoral vein is a good surgical alternative for the treatment of prosthetic infections with minimal venous morbidity of the lower limbs used as venous graft donors. The autogenous venous grafts present good long-term patency and excellent adaptation to the aortoiliofemoral position.
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery; D001157:Arterial Occlusive Diseases / Q000601:surgery; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000379:methods* / Q000401:mortality; D005260:Female; D005263:Femoral Artery / Q000601:surgery; D005268:Femoral Vein / Q000637:transplantation*; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006083:Graft Occlusion, Vascular / Q000601:surgery*; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007083:Iliac Artery / Q000601:surgery; D007866:Leg / Q000098:blood supply; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000601:surgery*; D012086:Reoperation / Q000379:methods; D016896:Treatment Outcome