title: Continuous irrigation as a therapeutic option for graft infections of the groin.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Wound infections following vascular procedures occur in 1-7 % of patients and can lead to severe problems including amputation and death. There are no established treatment options for this complication. The aim of our study was to introduce continuous irrigation as a new treatment technique.
  
  
  METHODS
  We retrospectively evaluated patients who had undergone bypass surgery involving the groin and had been treated with continuous irrigation because of deep wound infections. The irrigation solution was saline in all cases. The patients were additionally treated with antibiotics. The end point of the study was either complete wound healing or complications such as recurrent infection, amputation, or death.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Wound complications occurred in 65 (15.3 %) of 424 operations. Overall, 20 patients (4.7 %) developed a deep wound infection involving prosthetic graft material. They were treated with continuous irrigation. Complete wound healing was achieved in 13 cases (65.0 %). One patient died. No amputations were necessary.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Based on our results, constant irrigation may be a therapeutic option in patients with deep wound infections. The main advantages of continuous irrigation over other treatments are ongoing bacterial reduction despite primary wound closure and the ability to measure the remaining colonization by microbiologic examination of the irrigation fluid.
authors.affiliation: Department of Vascular Surgery, University Teaching Hospital Carl-von-Basedow, Weisse Mauer 52, 06217, Merseburg, Germany, f.thermann@klinikum-saalekreis.de.
authors.forename: Florian
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Thermann
authors.forename: Ulrich
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Wollert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003646:Debridement; D005260:Female; D006119:Groin; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery / Q000628:therapy*; D007507:Therapeutic Irrigation / Q000379:methods*; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D058017:Vascular Grafting / Q000009:adverse effects*; D014945:Wound Healing
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents