Efficacy of long-term antibiotic suppressive therapy in proven or suspected infected abdominal aortic grafts.

We have reviewed our experience of long-term antibiotic suppressive therapy in patients who underwent repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) and developed proven or strongly suspected infection of a graft. Five patients with abdominal aortic repair complicated by proven or suspected graft infections were treated with continuing antibiotic suppressive therapy based on microbiology culture reports. Two patients developed infection of an established graft, two patients had a graft inserted into an infected area and one patient was thought to be at high risk of developing infection of a recently placed graft. All patients had severe co-existent medical problems and were considered too ill to tolerate further definitive surgery. Response to therapy was monitored by absence of symptoms, fever, inflammatory markers and survival. All patients are alive with a median survival of 32 months, the longest having survived for 6 years. In selected patients with abdominal aortic graft infections, indefinite antibiotic suppressive therapy may be an acceptable alternative to further surgery.