In situ reconstruction in native and prosthetic aortic infections using cryopreserved arterial allografts.

OBJECTIVES

To evaluate overall survival and complications of cryopreserved arterial allografts in aortic graft infections and infected aortic aneurysms.

METHODS

A retrospective review of consecutive patients was conducted with native or prosthetic aortic infections, who underwent local debridement and in situ implantation of a cryopreserved aortic allograft from September 2004 to June 2012 at the Henri Mondor University Hospital. Patient characteristics, indications for allograft implantation, perioperative events, bacteriological data, and events related to follow-up were identified. The primary outcome was overall survival. Overall survival was estimated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Predictors of postoperative mortality were identified using uni- and multivariate analysis with a Cox proportional hazard regression.

RESULTS

During the study period, 54 patients (45 [83%] men, mean age 66.2 ± 10.2 years) underwent aortic reconstruction using cryopreserved allografts. Indications were native aortic infection in 17 patients and prosthetic graft infection in 37 patients, including seven aortoenteric fistulae. Twelve aortic reconstructions (22%) were performed as emergency procedures. The median duration of follow-up was 12.1 months (range 0.4-83.6). The 30-day mortality rate was 28%. The overall mortality rate was 39% at a median follow-up of 12.1 months. Early significant postoperative complications occurred in 52% of patients. The graft-related mortality rate was 7%. The graft-related complication rate was 19%. During follow-up, there were two recurrences of aortic infection and two recurrences of allograft limb occlusion. Multivariate survival analysis identified age, chronic renal disease, prosthetic infection, emergent procedure, and coronary disease as independent predictors for postoperative mortality.

CONCLUSION

This experience with cryopreserved aortic allografts in aortic reconstructions shows an unsatisfactory 30-day survival rate, as well as a substantial early graft-related complication rate. Longer follow-up is needed in order to support the preferential use of cryopreserved allografts based on their long-term behavior.