Objective: To review the safety, durability, and efficacy of sartorius myoplasty in the treatment of localized vascular prosthetic graft infection in the groin.
Design: Case series.
Setting: University teaching hospitals.
Patients: Fourteen patients with 15 exposed, eroded, or overtly infected prosthetic vascular grafts in the groin, treated during 7 years.
Interventions: Groin exploration for delineation of the extent of vascular graft infection, followed by extensive perigraft debridement, then dissection and rotation of the ipsilateral sartorius muscle to cover the involved graft.
Main outcome measures: Healing of groin wound with preservation of vascular graft function, limb salvage, length of hospital stay, impact of specific wound bacteria, and evidence of long-term hip dysfunction.
Results: During a mean hospital stay of 8.7 days, sartorius myoplasty was accomplished with 20% morbidity. Hip flexor function was initially impaired in all 14 patients, but functional deficit was negligible at late assessment. During mean follow-up of 36 months, all wounds were healed, and all limbs were salvaged. Two late deaths occurred, and 2 limbs were ultimately amputated due to progressive loss of vascular outflow.
Conclusion: Sartorius myoplasty is a simple, safe, durable, and effective technique for preservation of locally infected or exposed vascular grafts in the groin.