A Case of Successful Explantation of an Infected Fenestrated Aortic Endograft Using a Composite Xeno/Biosynthetic Reconstruction.

Introduction: Graft infections after open or endovascular repair can be devastating, and their treatment is always challenging. For thoraco-abdominal and abdominal aortic aneurysms, fenestrated and branched endografts are used increasingly. Because of the involved materials and anatomy, infective complications can be even more complex.

Report: One year after double fenestrated endovascular endorepair for a type Ia endoleak after standard endovascular repair, a 77 year old patient developed clinical signs for sepsis at an external clinic. As his clinical situation deteriorated, he was then referred to the centre, where an infection focus search revealed a bacteraemia, and computed tomography (CT), and fludeoxyglucose positron emission tomography CT showed signs of endograft infection. Trestment by endograft explantation followed, and reconstruction with a composite xeno/biosynthetic graft was performed. Through a median laparotomy, endograft explantation as well as reconstruction were technically successful, and sepsis control was achieved under concomitant anti-infective therapy. After a 48 day hospital stay (22 days in the intensive care unit), the patient was discharged to a rehabilitation clinic. After three months of uneventful follow up, precision dual antibiotic therapy with ciprofloxacin and rifampicin was stopped. Four year follow up confirmed freedom from infection and a properly functioning aortic reconstruction.

Discussion: After fenestrated stent graft procedures, successful late conversion is challenging and is known to correlate with high morbidity and mortality. The present case confirms the feasibility of this approach, even in patients with sepsis, with good results.