Background: Mycotic aneurysm of the thoracic or thoracoabdominal aorta and infection of thoracic or thoracoabdominal aortic grafts are challenging problems with high mortality. In situ reconstruction with cryopreserved allograft (CPA) avoids placement of prosthetic material in an infected field and avoids suppressive antibiotics or autologous tissue coverage.
Methods: Fifty consecutive patients with infection of a thoracic or thoracoabdominal aortic graft or mycotic aneurysm underwent resection and replacement with CPA from 2006 to 2016. Intravenous antibiotics were continued postoperatively for 6 weeks. Long-term suppressive antibiotics were uncommonly used (8 patients). Follow-up imaging occurred at 6, 18, and 42 months postoperatively. Initial follow-up was 93% complete.
Results: Men comprised 64% of the cohort. The mean age was 63 ± 14 years. The procedures performed included reoperations in 37 patients; replacement of the aortic root, ascending aorta, or transverse arch in 19; replacement of the descending or thoracoabdominal aorta in 27; and extensive replacement of the ascending, arch, and descending or thoracoabdominal aorta in 4. Intraoperative cultures revealed most commonly Staphylococcus (24%), Enterococcus (12%), Candida (6%), and gram-negative rods (14%). Operative mortality was 8%, stroke was 4%, paralysis was 2%, hemodialysis was 6%, and respiratory failure requiring tracheostomy was 6%. Early reoperation for pseudoaneurysm of the CPA was necessary in 4 patients. One-, 2-, and 5-year survival was 84%, 76%, and 64%, respectively.
Conclusions: Radical resection and in situ reconstruction with CPA avoids placing prosthetic material in an infected field and provides good early and midterm outcomes. However, early postoperative imaging is necessary given the risk of pseudoaneurysm formation.
Copyright © 2018 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.