Infection of a ruptured aortic aneurysm and an aortic graft with bacille Calmette-Guérin after intravesical administration for bladder cancer

AbstractA case of aortic graft infection with bacille Calmette-Guérin (BCG) is described. The graft was placed during urgent repair of a ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm 2 years after intravesical administration of BCG for grade II transitional cell carcinoma of the bladder with associated carcinoma in situ. At the time of operation, no gross evidence of infection was found and pathologic examination of the aortic wall was unremarkable. Aortic graft infection with BCG was diagnosed 1 year after placement of the graft. Retrospective examination of formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded aortic wall and thrombus removed at the time of graft placement by the polymerase chain reaction technique demonstrated the presence of mycobacterial DNA. The patient's condition improved with medical therapy during an observation period of 18 months with near total resolution on computed tomography scanning. Ultimately (20 months later), an aortoenteric fistula developed that required graft removal and axillobifemoral bypass. (J VASC SURG 1995;22:80-4.