The superficial femoral vein as arterial substitute in infections of the aortoiliac region

In situ autogenous reconstruction is an alternative therapy for abdominal aortic prosthetic graft infection. We have used the superficial femoral vein (SFV) as an arterial substitute for proximal aortic anastomosis in seven patients. Six patients presented with aortic perigraft infections and one had a mycotic aneurysm of the infrarenal aorta with a primary aortoenteric fistula. There were no intraoperative but two postoperative deaths. During follow-up (mean: 19.8 months), one patient died at 5 months unrelated to his preceding vascular procedures; the others were doing well with patent SFV grafts 6-36 months after autogenous aortoiliac reconstruction. The SFV is a valuable donor vessel for autogenous reconstruction in the management of aortoiliac prosthetic graft infection. We explain both perioperative deaths in our treatment group with respect to the extent of the underlying infection and the virulence of the causative organism.