Modalit\ue0 di trattamento nei pazienti con infezione di protesi aortica. Analisi di 164 pazienti dal Registro Italiano delle Infezioni Protesiche (IRGI)

Background. To evaluate outcome in patients with infected aortic graft in order to identify the profile of those at higher risk of complications after the treatment. Methods. Multi-center study conducted in 42 Italian Vascular Surgery Centers on a total of 164 patients (54 patients with aorto-enteric fistula, 23 patients with groin infection, 56 patients with clear clinical evidence of graft infection and 31 patients with infection based on non specific clinical findings). Results. Thirty-day mortality occurred in 34 patients (20.7%) and 7 amputations were performed in the same period. Statistical analysis showed that emergency surgery (p=0.01) and aorto-enteric fistula (p=0.03) are positive predictors of 30-day mortality. Gastrointestinal bleeding (p<0.0001) and fever (p=0.01) are positive predictors of aorto-enteric fistula. Actuarial survival, amputation-free interval and re-infection-free interval at 4 years were 70%, 90% and 96%, respectively. Conclusions. Aorto-enteric fistula and emergent surgery represent the conditions at higher risk of postoperative mortality. Aorto-enteric fistula in this series was associated with gastrointestinal bleeding only in half of the cases. In these cases, the presence of fever and the absence of palpable masses in the setting of a clinical situation suggestive of prosthesis infection, may lead the surgeon to a quick diagnosis and to prompt intervention