Use of Cryopreserved Femoral Vein for In Situ Replacement of Infected Femorofemoral Prosthetic Artery Bypass

Abstract

Isolated groin infection following crossover femoral bypass is not uncommon, and its management may be challenging, especially in medically high-risk patients. When an in situ replacement is appropriate, using an autologous vein (femoral or saphenous) would be the preferred method; however, this may not always be feasible. The authors used cryopreserved femoral vein grafts for in situ replacement of femorofemoral bypass grafts with excellent results in 3 high-risk patients who developed early graft infections and failed graft preservation attempts. In situ replacement of infected femorofemoral grafts using a cryopreserved femoral vein graft can be considered as a second-line intervention when an adequately sized autologous vein is unavailable or unusable or is not feasible in high-risk patients.