Forty years' experience treating septic arteritis and vasculitis

Abstract

By their natures, septic arteritis and infected grafts present a high morbidity and mortality situation for both the patient and the treating physician. In the experience of the authors, therapy frequently includes removing the previous infected graft, use of long-term antibiotics, repeat grafting and omental wraps. When possible, aortic endografting followed by future elective primary repair may be considered an option. Leaving wounds open to granulate from the 'bottom up' has been successful in the extremities and the groin. Again, avoidance of infection is primary. Antibiotics are frequently used at the time of vascular grafting, both intravenously and as irrigation. Examples of the authors' techniques and results demonstrate the variety of procedures available.