The infected infra-renal aortic graft.

Infections involving prosthetic arterial grafts continue to be challenging both for the patient and the surgeon. Preventive measures including perioperative prophylactic antibiotics and meticulous surgical technique are warranted in order to reduce the incidence of this dreaded complication to a minimum. An aggressive diagnostic and therapeutic approach are necessary in order to minimize morbidity and mortality. Factors associated with a favorable prognosis for survival and cure of infection include prompt surgical treatment, complete graft removal, staged graft removal and revascularization, and autogenous reconstructions when feasible. Long-term survival with freedom from infection, i.e. cure, is now an attainable goal in most patients.