Abstract
The treatment of infected syn thetic grafts presents a serious prob lem and there is no single approach to dealing with it.
The authors report on 9 patients who developed infections following bypass operation with a synthetic graft. The infections appeared in var ious places but mainly in the groin. In 2 of the patients who suffered infec tions after implant of dacron grafts, the authors had to remove the graft and then perform an extraanatomic bypass, after conservative treatment had failed. Seven patients, in whom a prosthesis of polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) had been implanted, were given conservative treatment that was very successful in dealing with the infection that developed in the wounds.
The treatment included antibiot ics appropriate to the sensitivity of the bacteria, debridement of the wounds, local treatment with wound- cleansing powder and continual irri gation with povidone-iodine. The wounds in these patients healed spon taneously or with the help of second ary closure, and the implants re mained patent.
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