Fatal subclavian stent infection remote from implantation

Post-operative Infection of Prosthetic Materials or Stents Involving the Supra-aortic Trunks: A Comprehensive Review

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this paper was to provide recommendations for diagnosis and management in the setting of infection following open or endovascular reconstructions of the supra-aortic trunks.

METHODS

A review of the Medline database was performed from 1997 to 2017 by a combined strategy of MeSh terms.

RESULTS

The literature search identified 49 publications: 36 studies addressing prosthetic material infections and 13 studies addressing stent infections. A total of 140 cases of prosthetic material infections were reported, mostly involving carotid patches. Surgical treatment was mostly based on complete removal of the infected material followed by in situ arterial reconstruction (86 cases, 62.3%). Peri-operative complications included cranial nerve injury in 17 cases (12.5%), stroke in eight (6.7%), bleeding in four (2.9%), re-infection in five (3.6%), and cardiac failure in three cases (2.2%). Stent infections were reported in 12 patients: eight carotid stents, three subclavian stents and one tandem brachiocephalic subclavian stent. Treatment was not described for one case, was conservative in one case, consisted of stent removal with venous reconstruction in six cases, stent removal without reconstruction because of carotid thrombosis in two cases, and carotid embolisation in two cases. Complications included intra-operative death in one case (9.1%), stroke in two (18.2%), reinfection in one (9.1%), bleeding in one (9.1%), and cardiac failure in one case (9.1%).

CONCLUSION

Appropriate pre-operative imaging is mandatory and treatment modality should be determined by patient condition. Complete removal of the infected material, followed by in situ arterial reconstruction with venous material seems advisable, despite high morbidity. However, alternative strategies may be considered for fragile and high risk patients. A multidisciplinary approach is mandatory to ensure optimum results.

Infections of intravascular bare metal stents: a case report and review of literature

OBJECTIVE

The objective of the paper is to present a case of an infected bare metal stent in the left common iliac artery that was removed by an urgent operation, and to review the literature on diagnosis and outcome of infected coronary and non-coronary metal stents.

METHODS

A systematic search of the Medline database was performed with the purpose of identifying risk factors, signs and symptoms, imaging strategies, and treatment modalities of bare metal stent infections, both coronary and peripheral.

RESULTS

In total, 76 additional studies/case reports (48 non-coronary; 29 coronary) were included and analyzed. Intravascular bare metal stent infections are a rare but serious complication, often leading to emergency surgery (overall: 75.3%; non-coronary cases: 83.3%; coronary cases: 62.1%). In 25.0% of the non-coronary cases, infection led to amputation of an extremity or removal of viscera. Reported mortality was up to 32.5% of the cases (non-coronary: 22.9%; coronary 48.3%). Physicians should always be suspicious of a stent infection when patients present with aspecific symptoms such as fever and chills after stent placement. Additional imaging can be used to detect the presence of a pseudoaneurysm. A PET-CT is an ideal medium for identification of a stent infection.

CONCLUSIONS

Intravascular stent infection is associated with a high risk of morbidity and mortality. Surgery is the preferred treatment option, but not always possible, especially in patients with a coronary stent. In selected cases, bare metal stent infections may be prevented by the use of prophylactic antibiotics at stent placement.

Coil occlusion of a subclavian mycotic aneurysm

We report the first successful application of nonferromagnetic embolization coils for endovascular exclusion of a mycotic right subclavian artery aneurysm. A 58-year-old woman presented with acute cervical pain and a pulsatile mass in the right supraclavicular fossa under antibiotic medication for subacute infectious endocarditis. Diagnostic work-up including duplex sonography, digital subtraction angiography, and magnetic resonance imaging demonstrated a saccular aneurysm of the extrathoracic right subclavian artery. As an alternative to open surgery or stent-graft repair, this pathology was electively treated by transcatheter coil embolization. No neurological deficit or ischemic symptoms were noted during 9 months clinical follow-up. Multislice computed tomography scan revealed complete occlusion of the mycotic aneurysm 6 months after the interventional procedure. Transcatheter closure with Inconel embolization coils is a cost-effective and safe therapeutic option in patients with mycotic aneurysm originating from the subclavian artery.