Objective: Endovascular repair for degenerative aortic aneurysms is well established, but its role in those with infective pathology remains controversial. This study aims to assess the durability of endovascular repair with a review of our midterm results.
Method: A retrospective analysis of a prospectively maintained endovascular database (1998–2008) was conducted, which identified 673 consecutive patients with aortic aneurysms.
Results: Nineteen patients (2.8%) were identified with infected aortic aneurysms, in which there were a total of 23 separate aneurysms (16 thoracic and seven abdominal). Six patients (32%) presented with rupture. Eleven patients (58%) had received antibiotics preoperatively for a median duration of 11 days (1–54 days). Fifteen of the 19 (79%) had positive blood cultures, with Staphylococcus aureus being the most common organism.
All 19 patients underwent endovascular repair. There were three Type I endoleaks (one requiring conversion to open repair) and two Type II endoleaks. One patient developed transient paraplegia, resolved by cerebrovascular fluid (CSF) drainage, and one patient had a stroke.
The 30-day mortality was 11%, and survival at median follow-up of 20 months (0–83 months) was 73%. All eight deaths in the series were related to aneurysm.
Conclusion: Endovascular treatment of infective aortic pathology provides an early survival benefit; however, concerns over on-going graft infection remain.
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