Broad range PCR; Prosthetic vascular graft; Vascular graft infection; Biofilm; Negative pressure wound therapy
Husmann Lars, Ledergerber Bruno, Anagnostopoulos Alexia, Stolzmann Paul, Sah Bert-Ram, Burger Irene A., Pop Roxana, Weber Alberto, Mayer Dieter, Rancic Zoran, Hasse Barbara (2018), The role of FDG PET/CT in therapy control of aortic graft infection, in
European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, 45(11), 1987-1997.
Ajdler-Schaeffler Evelyne, Scherrer Alexandra U., Keller Peter M., Anagnostopoulos Alexia, Hofmann Michael, Rancic Zoran, Zinkernagel Annelies S., Bloemberg Guido V., Hasse Barbara K. (2018), Increased Pathogen Identification in Vascular Graft Infections by the Combined Use of Tissue Cultures and 16S rRNA Gene Polymerase Chain Reaction, in
Frontiers in Medicine, 5.
Scherrer Alexandra U., Bloemberg Guido, Zbinden Reinhard, Zinkernagel Annelies S., Fuchs Claudio, Frauenfelder Sandra, Rancic Zoran, Mayer Dieter, Hasse Barbara (2016), Prosthetic Vascular Graft Infections: Bacterial Cultures from Negative-Pressure-Wound-Therapy Foams Do Not Improve Diagnostics, in
Journal of Clinical Microbiology, 54(8), 2190-2193.
Kohler Philipp, Kuster Stefan P., Bloemberg Guido, Schulthess Bettina, Frank Michelle, Tanner Felix C., Rössle Matthias, Böni Christian, Falk Volkmar, Wilhelm Markus J., Sommerstein Rami, Achermann Yvonne, ten Oever Jaap, Debast Sylvia B., Wolfhagen Maurice J.H.M., Brandon Bravo Bruinsma George J., Vos Margreet C., Bogers Ad, Serr Annerose, Beyersdorf Friedhelm, Sax Hugo, Böttger Erik C., Weber Rainer, van Ingen Jakko, et al. (2015), Healthcare-associated prosthetic heart valve, aortic vascular graft, and disseminated Mycobacterium chimaera infections subsequent to open heart surgery, in
European Heart Journal, 36(40), 2745-2753.
Husmann L., Sah B.-R., Scherrer A., Burger I. A., Stolzmann P., Weber R., Rancic Z., Mayer D., Hasse B. (2015), 18F-FDG PET/CT for Therapy Control in Vascular Graft Infections: A First Feasibility Study, in
Journal of Nuclear Medicine, 56(7), 1024-1029.
Sah B.-R., Husmann L., Mayer D., Scherrer A., Rancic Z., Puippe G., Weber R., Hasse B. (2015), Diagnostic Performance of 18F-FDG-PET/CT in Vascular Graft Infections, in
European Journal of Vascular and Endovascular Surgery, 49(4), 455-464.
Husmann L Sah BR Scherrer A Burger IA Stolzmann P Weber R Rancic Z Mayer D Hasse B (2015), 18F-FDG-PET/CT for therapy control in vascular graft in-fections: a first feasibility study., in
J Nucl Med, 56(7), 1024-1029.
Sah BR Husmann L Mayer D Scherrer A Rancic Z Puippe G Weber R Hasse B (2015), Diagnostic performance of 18F-FDG PET/CT in vascular graft infections, in
Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg, 49(4), 455-464.
Kohler P Kuster SP Bloemberg G Schulthess B Frank M Tanner F Rössle M Böni Ch Falk V Wil (2015), Health-care associated prosthetic heart valve, aortic vascular graft, and disseminated Mycobacterium chimaera infections subsequent to open heart surgery, in
Eur Heart J, 36(40), 2745-2753.
Hasse B, Husmann L, Zinkernagel A, Weber R, Lachat M, Mayer D (2013), Vascular graft infections, in
Swiss Medical Weekly, 1-7.
This research project addresses vascular graft infections as a complication after vascular graft placement, especially prosthetic vascular graft infections (PVGI). We think that we are in the position to initiate this project at the University hospital Zurich (USZ) because of (1) the very close collaboration between vascular surgeons and infectious disease specialists, with an intensive surveillance and guidance of antibiotic use; (2) profound knowledge on the establishment and maintenance of a cohort study, and on the epidemiological appraisal of cohort data; (3) a highly experienced nuclear medicine team familiar with the use and interpretation of PET/CT scans in case of vascular graft infections; and (4) options for translational research projects on the microbiology and pathogenesis of biofilm-mediated vascular graft infections. With the first aim we will establish an infrastructure for studying PVGI in Zurich. We will take advantage of the Swissvasc registry, a central registry which collects preoperative, operative and discharge data regarding the index vascular surgical interventions. We will create a prospective observational cohort database of all patients who receive a vascular graft (peripheral, aortic, vein) at the University hospital of Zurich (VASGRA Cohort A). Patients with a PVGI will be included in VASGRA Cohort B and followed up using a flow chart with a focus on the course of this infectious complication. Additionally, we will establish a biobank with the collection of tissue- and blood samples of patients with PVGI. With the second aim we will investigate different diagnostic, clinical and therapeutic research questions nested in the VASGRA Cohort. Firstly, we will address epidemiological questions, such as: To determine the incidence and outcome of complications after vascular graft placement; to determine risk factors, best treatment strategies and outcome of PVGI, and to determine the influence of different antibiotic regimens on the outcome of PVGI due to different bacterial pathogens. Secondly, we will determine the accuracy of PET/CT and MRI for the diagnosis of PVGI, and the role of PET/CT for the assessment of treatment response. Thirdly, we will evaluate the bacterial diversity of vascular wound infections using 16s rRNA amplification, and we will explore whether this bacterial diversity does predict disease progression. Here, we will also study the impact of negative pressure wound therapy on bacterial diversity in the treatment course of PVGI. Forthly, we will look for cut-off levels of relevant blood leucocytes count, ESR, CRP and procalcitonin raising suspicion of a PVGI. Lastly, we will look at histopathological features of excised vascular grafts.