Management of vascular prosthetic infections: Results of long-term follow-up

An infected vascular prosthesis is a risk to life and limb, with many of th e infections insidious in nature. A retrospective analysis with a minimum 4 9-month follow-up identified 18 patients (mean age, 61.3 years) with cultur e-positive infections and exposed prosthetic grafts in the infrainguinal re gion. All patients were managed with muscle flaps. Mean follow-up was 59 mo nths, with a long-term salvage of infected prosthetic grafts in 16 of 18 pa tients; there was no loss of life or limb. Early, aggressive reconstruction of infected prosthetic grafts using a muscle flap technique saves graft, l eg, and patient.