Hybrid approach to limb salvage in the setting of an infected femoral-femoral bypass graft

Abstract

Prosthetic vascular graft infection in patients with advanced peripheral arterial disease can lead to multiple additional procedures, including extra-anatomic bypass or even amputation. We report the case of an 88-year-old woman with critical limb ischemia and an infected prosthetic femoral-femoral bypass graft. Using a planned hybrid 2-stage approach, we performed endovascular recanalization of the native left iliac arterial system using remote access via the superficial femoral artery to avoid infected groin wounds. Recanalization of the patient's Trans-Atlantic Inter-Society Consensus II D chronic iliac occlusion allowed for removal of the infected graft and placement of a profunda femoris artery to proximal posterior tibial artery bypass, thereby restoring inflow and avoiding the infected left groin. Newer endovascular techniques coupled with open surgical options may lead to limb salvage in patients with previously unreconstructable peripheral arterial disease.