[The use of superficial femoral veins in reconstructive surgery of aortic prosthesis infection (Clagett's operation)].

Prosthetic aortic infection still represents an enormous challenge to the possibilities of contemporary reconstructive vascular surgery, particularly in terms of diagnosis and surgical management, and is accompanied by high mortality and morbidity rates. Several surgical methods have been devised and employed, including the extra-anatomic bypasses and the in "situ" revascularization. The later uses either antibiotic bounded prosthesis, or biologic homologous conduits, including cryopreserved allografts or autologous arteries and veins. The authors report the clinical condition of a 73 years old male with an infected aortic prosthesis, who underwent the complete removal of the infected graft, followed by an interposition of a venous autograft composed by two superficial femoral veins, removed from both thighs (Clagett's operation). The procedure was extremely well succeeded and the patient was discharged one month later. Reviewed one year later he was found in good condition and free of symptoms.