title: Late prosthetic graft infection after frozen elephant trunk presenting by haemoptysis and positive ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography.
abstract: In cardiothoracic surgery, prosthetic graft infection represents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Although clinical assessment, imaging techniques and microbiological investigations are helpful, late graft infection can be difficult to identify using classical diagnostic tools. An aggressive surgical approach involving removal and replacement of all prosthetic materials is technically demanding but remains the best strategy to eradicate infection. Herein, we report a case of a late aortic graft infection, after frozen elephant trunk implantation with atypical presentation, diagnosed with (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography and treated successfully through a radical surgical strategy. This case emphasizes the emerging diagnostic role of positron emission tomography and encourages the adoption of an aggressive surgical approach.
authors.affiliation: Division of Thorax and Cardiovascular Surgery, Braunschweig, Germany morjan79@gmail.com.
authors.forename: Mohammed
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Morjan
authors.affiliation: Division of Thorax and Cardiovascular Surgery, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Khaldoun
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ali
authors.affiliation: Division of Thorax and Cardiovascular Surgery, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Harringer
authors.affiliation: Division of Thorax and Cardiovascular Surgery, Braunschweig, Germany.
authors.forename: Aschraf
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: El-Essawi
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000601:surgery*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000382:microbiology; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D017548:Echocardiography, Transesophageal; D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006469:Hemoptysis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology*; D006801:Humans; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000150:complications* / Q000175:diagnosis; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography; Aortic graft infection