Successful non operative management of late infrainguinal polytetrafluoroethylene vascular graft infection with antibiotics alone: a report of two cases.

Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) prosthetic vascular graft infection is a serious complication of arterial reconstructive surgery. Traditional management is primarily surgical and may result in long hospital stay with significant morbidity and mortality. The authors describe two cases of infected femoropoliteal PTFE grafts which were managed non operatively with antibiotic therapy alone, resulting in early return to normal activities and excellent resolution of infection on Indium labelled leucocyte scanning. The authors suggest that in selected cases antibiotic therapy alone is a valuable tool in the management of infrainguinal PTFE prosthetic sepsis.