Aortic Graft Preservation by Debridement and Omental Wrapping

Background Aortic graft infection is a rare, but grave, complication in vascular surgery. Graft removal together with extra-anatomical bypass or in situ graft replacement is usually advocated, but these procedures are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. Methods and Results Two cases of aortic graft infection in high-risk surgical candidates managed by open debridement and omental wrapping with graft preservation are described. Both remain well at 3 years without any adjunctive procedures. Conclusion Debridement and omental wrapping may offer an alternative to graft removal and revascularization in selected patients. This relatively low-risk procedure may allow long-term survival.