[Prosthetic separation in the retroperitoneum in reconstructive arterial surgery].

In this assay we take into consideration 3410 retroperitoneal prosthetic reconstructions in aorto-iliac pathology performed in the last 25 years at the General and Cardiovascular Institute of Milan. Thirty-nine retroperitoneal prosthetic dehiscences were observed; 35 of them had been subjected to their first operation in our Institute (1.03%). The incidence of vasculo-enteric fistula and pseudoaneurysm seem to decrease in the last 8 years up to 0.9 (0.9%). Authors consider etiologic factors, diagnostic procedures and technical approaches to this severe complication of vascular surgery.