Management of Staphylococcal Infection of the Femoral Artery Following Cardiac Catheterization

Sachinder S. Hans, MD, FACS, Olan Jareunpoon, MD

Product Details
Product ID: ACS-2300
Year Produced: 2003
Length: 9 min.


Sixty-seven year old female with history of diabetes mellitus and hypertension underwent cardiac catheterization via right femoral artery for evaluation of coronary artery disease in November 2003. Two weeks following cardiac catheterization, she developed abscess in the right groin and was admitted with fever and a painful mass. CT angiography revealed abscess in relationship to right femoral artery. Patient had high fever (103 degree F) and blood culture was positive for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. She was started on IV Vancomycin which was maintained for six weeks of total therapy. This video represents excision of infected right common femoral artery. Proximal control was obtained by clamping distal right common external iliac artery. Distal control was obtained of the deep femoral and proximal superficial femoral artery. The infected right common femoral artery was excised along with Angio-Seal suture which was the probably source of infection. The greater saphenous vein from the right groin and upper thigh was harvested, and about 4-6 cm segment was interposed following resection of the right common femoral artery in a nonreversed fashion. Valves of the saphenous vein were lysed with retrograde valvulotome. Extensive debridement of skin and soft tissues was performed. Sartorius muscle rotations flap was performed to cover the interposed vein graft. Following this procedure, patient had primary healing and had excellent distal pulses in the right foot.