Femoral Vein Repair of Arterial Infections: Technical Tips to Reduce Procedure Time

Introduction: Success with the neoaortoiliac system (NAIS) bypass has previously been reported. Drawbacks to this procedure include prolonged operative times and significant morbidity. The aim of this study was to evaluate whether a 2-team approach in addition to a consistent anastomosis technique reduces the operative time of the NAIS procedure. Methods: A single-center retrospective review was performed for operations using femoral vein in arterial reconstruction from 2003 to 2012. Results: A total of 40 patients, 25 men and 15 women, were included for analysis. Median operative time for all operations was 300 minutes (interquartile range). Thirty-day mortality was 7.5% (n = 3). Assisted primary patency at 1 year was 100%. Conclusion: A 2-surgical team approach can reduce the operative time by up to 50%. This improves the attractiveness of this procedure, particularly when recalling that the treatment is definitive by virtue of its eradication of the source of infection.