Early outcomes of native and graft-related abdominal aortic infection managed with orthotopic xenopericardial grafts.

Objective: Reconstruction of infected aortic cases has shifted from extra-anatomic to in situ. This study reports the surgical strategy and early outcomes of abdominal aortic reconstruction in both native and graft-related aortic infection with in situ xenopericardial grafts.

Methods: Included in the analysis are 21 consecutive patients (mean age, 69 years; 20 male) who underwent abdominal xenopericardial in situ reconstruction of native aortic infection (4) and endovascular (4) or open (13) graft aortic infection between July 2017 and September 2019. All repairs were performed on an urgent basis, but none were ruptured. All patients were followed up with clinical and biologic evaluation, ultrasound at 3 months, and computed tomography scan at 6 months and 1 year.

Results: Technical success was 100%; 8 patients were treated with xenopericardial tubes and 13 with bifurcated grafts. Thirty-day mortality was 4.7% (one death due to pneumonia with respiratory hypoxic failure in critical care.). Six patients (28%) developed acute kidney injury, four (19%) requiring temporary dialysis; five fully recovered and one died. Four patients (19%) required a return to the operating room. After a median follow-up of 14 months (range, 1-26 months), overall mortality was 19% (n = 4). Two patients presented with recurrent sepsis after reconstruction, leading to death due to multiorgan failure. Other patients (17/21) have discontinued antibiotics with no evidence of recurrence of infection clinically, radiologically, or on blood tests. Computed tomography scans at 1 year demonstrated no stenosis or graft dilation and one asymptomatic left graft branch thrombosis. Primary patency is 95%.

Conclusions: In situ xenopericardial aortic reconstruction is a safe and effective management strategy for both native and graft-related abdominal aortic infection with good short-term results. The graft demonstrates appropriate resistance to infection such that reliable eradication of infection in this vascular bed is possible. Longer follow-up is required in future studies to determine the durability of the reconstruction and need for reinterventions.