Endovascular stent infection

We report a case of iliac stent infection. Nine days after a 24-hour infusion of urokinase and right iliac artery stent deployment, the patient had fever, in addition to severe groin pain and petechiae isolated to the stented limb. The hospital course was complicated by sepsis, adult respiratory distress syndrome, liver dysfunction, and renal insufficiency. Stent removal and iliac/femoral artery resection, as well as an above-knee amputation, were life-saving. Arterial and stent cultures grew Staphylococcus aureus. Stent infection with arterial necrosis is a devastating, rare endovascular complication. Given its potential seriousness, we would recommend the use of prophylactic antibiotics before stent deployment.