The aorta is the biggest blood vessel in your body. When you need surgery on your aorta, we commonly use a graft. The graft is a synthetic tube that reinforces or replaces a diseased section of artery.
Aortic graft infection can happen in the graft’s synthetic material. Usually caused by bacteria, these infections can spread in your body. They can lead to sepsis, organ failure, and amputations. Infected aortic grafts threaten your life if untreated.
Aortic graft infections are infections of synthetic material that repair aneurysms or blockages in the artery. Bacteria, frequently the staphylococcus groups, cause these rare infections. These bacterial infections can be life-threatening.
Infected Aortic Grafts Treatment at UVA
Our experienced team of heart and vascular experts works with you on the best treatment options for your condition. We're recognized for our high-quality heart care, especially in aortic, valve, and bypass surgery.
To treat the infected aortic grafts, we can:
- Treat the infection with antibiotics
- Replace the infected graft with a new one
We use these tests to diagnose infected aortic grafts:
- Computed tomography (CT) scan
- Chest X-ray
- White blood cell scans
- Advanced imaging techniques (such as FDG PET-CT or SPECT-CT)
Infected Aortic Graft Symptoms
Symptoms of aortic graft infection include:
- Fever
- Pain in your chest, abdomen, or back
- Chills
More serious symptoms may include:
- Internal bleeding
- Blood infection
- False aneurysms