title: Xenografts in septic vascular surgery.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  In general, autologous veins are the optimal replacement material for an infected vascular graft in terms of handling, durability and resistance to reinfection. In the absence of suitable autologous material, several options are available, each of which has specific advantages and drawbacks with regard to these characteristics.
  
  
  METHODS
  In recent years, xenogeneic materials (in particular pericardial patches from different species and biosynthetic grafts) have been increasingly used as replacement material in the setting of infections. Bovine and equine pericardial patches are applied in particular as self-made tube grafts in the aortic region and also in infections of iliacofemoral prosthetic grafts and shunt infections.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The results of small clinical series on durability and resistance to reinfection are promising.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  It is feasible to use biosynthetic materials to replace infected intracavitary and extracavitary vascular grafts with remarkably low reinfection rates; however, the unique mechanical properties of the grafts as well as the initially increased thrombogenicity, need to be taken into consideration.
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Gefäßchirurgie, Krankenhaus Barmherzige Brüder Regensburg, Prüfeninger Str. 86, 93049 Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Töpel
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Gefäßchirurgie, Krankenhaus Barmherzige Brüder Regensburg, Prüfeninger Str. 86, 93049 Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Uhl
authors.affiliation: Institut für diagnostische und interventionelle Radiologie, Neuroradiologie und Nuklearmedizin, Barmherzige Brüder Regensburg, Regenburg, Germany.
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Ayx
authors.affiliation: Klinik für Gefäßchirurgie, Krankenhaus Barmherzige Brüder Regensburg, Prüfeninger Str. 86, 93049 Regensburg, Germany.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Steinbauer
keywords: Bovine patch; Infection; Omniflow; Vascular replacement; Xenogeneic materials