Vascular graft infection with duodenal fistulization 10 years after hybrid endovascular aortic repair with renovisceral debranching: a case report.

BACKGROUND

A secondary aortoenteric fistula after an aortic graft replacement or endovascular aortic repair is a rare but devastating complication that leads to extremely high morbidity and mortality. Because reports of vascular graft infection with enteric fistulization complicating in a hybrid aortic repair with renovisceral debranching are limited, the management method such as the extent of removal of the infected graft, reconstruction procedures, and the ideal type of graft are still debatable.

CASE PRESENTATION: We report a successful case of a 73-year-old man presenting a vascular graft infection with duodenal fistulization, 10 years after hybrid endovascular aortic repair with renovisceral debranching for a 60-mm diameter of supra-renal abdominal aortic aneurysm. The patient had a history of polymyalgia rheumatica on oral prednisolone, perigraft seroma, deep vein thrombosis, and an allergy to rifampicin. The patient eventually recovered after partial removal of the grafts, in situ reconstruction using Fusion Bioline vascular prosthesis, primary duodenal repair, application of omental flap, and antibiotics without any evidence of re-infection after 1.5 years.

CONCLUSIONS

Although hybrid endovascular aortic repair is considered advantageous, especially for the elderly and high-risk patients, due to the avoidance of extracorporeal circulation and thoracotomy; once a devastating complication happens, an optimal treatment method should be considered for patients with several comorbidities. Although our procedures provided favorable results, careful monitoring to avoid re-infection is mandatory.