Infection of Vascular Prostheses: A Comprehensive Review
Davide Costa,
Michele Andreucci,
Nicola Ielapi,
Giuseppe Filiberto Serraino,
Pasquale Mastroroberto,
Umberto Marcello Bracale,
Raffaele Serra
Affiliations
Davide Costa
Department of Law, Economics, and Sociology, University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
Michele Andreucci
Department of Health Sciences, University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
Nicola Ielapi
Department of Public Health and Infectious Disease, “Sapienza” University of Rome, 00185 Rome, Italy
Giuseppe Filiberto Serraino
Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
Pasquale Mastroroberto
Department of Experimental and Clinical Medicine, University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
Umberto Marcello Bracale
Department of Public Health, University of Naples “Federico II”, 80138 Naples, Italy
Raffaele Serra
Interuniversity Center of Phlebolymphology (CIFL), International Research and Educational Program in Clinical and Experimental Biotechnology, University “Magna Graecia” of Catanzaro, 88100 Catanzaro, Italy
Vascular graft or endograft infection (VGEI) is a complex disease that complicates vascular-surgery and endovascular-surgery procedures and determines high morbidity and mortality. This review article provides the most updated general evidence on the pathogenesis, prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of VGEI. Several microorganisms are involved in VGEI development, but the most frequent one, responsible for over 75% of infections, is Staphylococcus aureus. Specific clinical, surgical, radiologic, and laboratory criteria are pivotal for the diagnosis of VGEI. Surgery and antimicrobial therapy are cornerstones in treatment for most patients with VGEI. For patients unfit for surgery, alternative treatment is available to improve the clinical course of VGEI.
