Endovascular graft XXXX : preliminary results of an international enquiry.

@entity1 @entity6177 @entity794 @entity281 @entity292 @entity2849
PURPOSE: To investigate the frequency of @entity281 and seek the main factors influencing their development. METHODS: To augment personal experience (1 case), a questionnaire was sent to 40 international centers of vascular and endovascular surgery. The literature was also reviewed to collect data on @entity281 developing in endovascular grafts. RESULTS: The survey (85% response rate) and literature review identified 62 cases of infected endovascular grafts (0.4% frequency of endograft @entity281 ). In 22 (35%) @entity1 , the @entity281 manifested initially with vague symptoms only, but 41 (65%) @entity1 eventually presented with @entity6177 , groin @entity292 , and septic embolization. Common bacteria, such as @entity794 , were identified as the cause of most @entity281 (54.5%). The majority (49, 79%) of the 62 @entity1 were treated surgically; 11 (17.7%) @entity1 received conservative therapy (no therapeutic data in 2 @entity1 ). Overall mortality was 27.4% (17/62), and operative mortality was 16.3% (8/49). Conservative treatment led to a mortality rate of 36.4% (4/11). The mean follow-up for all @entity1 was 47.8 weeks. Possible factors influencing the development of an @entity281 were secondary adjunctive procedures, immunosuppression, treatment of @entity2849 , and infected central lines. CONCLUSIONS: Infected endovascular grafts are an urgent problem that has been heretofore underestimated and will probably increase as follow-up lengthens. New techniques should be sought to expedite the diagnosis, and an international registry should be set up to provide validated data.
