Treatment of Prosthetic Vascular Graft Infections

Abstract

Prosthetic vascular graft infections require a medico-surgical treatment. A first-line, empirical, antimicrobial treatment could be administered in cases of severe sepsis, septic shock or mechanical complications such as aneurysm rupture or anastomotic leakage. A broad-spectrum combination (glycopeptide, beta-lactams, and aminoglycoside) is usually proposed. When bacteriological samples have identified the causal agent(s) and its antibiotics susceptibility, a treatment with a narrow spectrum will be prescribed during the 6 weeks following surgical treatment. When surgical treatment is suboptimal, a suppressive antibiotic therapy is administered lifelong. The surgical treatment for these patients is complex. It depends on the mechanism of infection, location of prosthetic graft, causal bacteria, and underlying diseases.