Laparoscopic diagnosis and treatment of aortic vascular prosthetic graft infections in a porcine model

Objectives. To study the feasibility and efficacy of experimental laparoscopy in the diagnosis of aortic graft infection in pigs. Material and methods. Eight pigs had an aortic tube graft implanted and inoculated with either 5 x 10(4) or 10(6) CFU of Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 29213. Laparoscopy was performed after a median of 20 days with debridement and sampling for bacterial culture. Thereafter, the grafts were locally soaked in rifampicin and postoperatively, the pigs received rifampicin and ciprofloxacin orally for two weeks and were then sacrificed. Results. All pigs developed graft infection. One pig died from severe clostridial septicaemia before laparoscopy could be performed. The remaining pigs had all samples for bacterial culture taken by laparoscopy from the inflamed tissue. The temperature dropped significantly after laparoscopy, and no macroscopic signs of infection presented at autopsy. However, only culture from one pig was without S. aureus at autopsy. Conclusions. Laparoscopy is a potential diagnostic tool for aortic graft infection and also affords the opportunity to carry out bacteriological sampling and local antibiotic treatment. The efficacy of laparoscopic treatment needs further evaluation. (C) 2007 European Society for Vascular Surgery. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.