Abstract
Arterial prosthetic graft infection in the groin is rare but has a high morbidity and mortality rate. The standard treatment includes removal of the infected prosthetic graft and replacement by autologous conduit or extra-anatomic bypass. We report a case of a prosthetic graft infection in the groin, in which the graft was preserved using a vascularised muscle flap transposition. An 83-year-old man who had previously undergone a femoro-femoral crossover bypass using a Dacron graft was re-admitted with pus discharge in the groin. Wound culture findings were positive for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus epidermidis. We treated promptly with debridement, rinsing and administration of antibiotics. After the wound culture was found negative and the infection was controlled locally, we performed the sartorius muscle flap transposition using the “twist” technique to cover the infected prosthetic graft. The graft was successfully preserved and wound healing was accomplished. We found that the sartorius muscle flap was a beneficial therapeutic option for an infected graft in the groin.
