RESUMO
BACKGROUND: Vascular graft infection with anastomotic dehiscence requires immediate surgical intervention to preserve life and limb. We present our experience of using the Omniflow® II biosynthetic vascular prosthesis (LeMaitre Vascular) in the emergency repair of vascular graft dehiscence at the femoral anastomosis. METHODS: A retrospective review of consecutive patients presenting with femoral anastomotic dehiscence in a single centre was conducted. All patients were revascularized using an in situ Omniflow II graft. Patient demographics, affected graft type, microbiology, and antibiotic regimes were documented. Primary outcome measures were limb salvage, patency rates, and mortality. RESULTS: Five patients presented with acute femoral false aneurysm and four of five with significant hemorrhage. Infected grafts included one aortobifemoral, two femoral crossover, one axillobifemoral, and one infrainguinal reversed vein graft. All were revascularized with an in situ Omniflow II graft following the excision of the infected graft material. The median followup was 50 months. Limb salvage was achieved in 8 of 9 threatened limbs, and none required further intervention for re-infection. One graft occluded at 5 months. Two of five patients died during followup (one at 12 months, one at 50 months). CONCLUSIONS: Omniflow II provides a useful "off-the-shelf" conduit for the urgent revascularization of infected femoral dehiscence.
