Background/Objectives: Common femoral endarterectomy (CFE) is one of the most frequent open arterial surgical procedures. The ideal material to close the arteriotomy is equivocal. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of bovine pericardium patch (BPP) utilization in femoral artery bifurcation endarterectomy (FE). Methods: A single-center, retrospective study was conducted, involving 200 consecutive FE procedures performed between November 2019 and December 2022. Clinical data, including demographics, comorbidities, surgical details, and outcomes, were collected from institutional records. The primary endpoints were overall survival, reintervention-free survival, and amputation-free survival. Secondary endpoints included the incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) and its associated risk factors. Logistic regression models were used to identify predictors of SSI, adjusting for confounders such as age, smoking, comorbidities, and bacterial colonization. Results: The median age of the cohort was 68 (SD ± 9.70) years, and 66% were male. The median follow-up period was 1010 (SD ± 471.47) days. Thirty-day survival was 91%, and 2 year survival was 69.3%, with cardiovascular events and cancer being the leading causes of death. Reintervention-free survival was 94.7% at 30 days and 77.5% at 2 years, while amputation-free survival was 94.3% at 30 days and 87.4% at 2 years. SSI requiring surgery occurred in 16% of patients, with a higher risk observed in patients with critical limb ischemia (CLI) compared to those with claudication. The presence of pathogens such as MRSA, Escherichia coli, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (OR 16.1, p < 0.001) was significantly associated with SSI. Previous groin surgery did not affect SSI incidence. Conclusions: BPP utilization in FE provides favorable patency and survival outcomes, even in a high-risk patient population with significant comorbidities. CLI and bacterial colonization increased the risk of SSI. Perioperative infection prevention strategies and management of systemic comorbidities are essential to improve patient outcomes.

The best method of anticoagulation for patients with peripheral artery disease (PAD) is still a topic of interest for physicians. We conducted a meta-analysis to compare the effects of direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) with those of vitamin-K-antagonist (VKA) anticoagulants in patients with peripheral artery disease. Five databases (Medline (via PubMed), EMBASE, Scopus, Web of Science, and CENTRAL) were searched systematically for studies comparing the effects of the two types of anticoagulants in patients with PAD, with an emphasis on lower-limb outcomes, cardiovascular events, and mortality. In PAD patients with concomitant non-valvular atrial fibrillation (NVAF), the use of DOACs significantly reduced the risk of major adverse limb events (HR = 0.58, 95% CI, 0.39–0.86, p < 0.01), stroke/systemic embolism (HR 0.76; 95% CI 0.61–0.95; p < 0.01), and all-cause mortality (HR 0.78; 95% CI 0.66–0.92; p < 0.01) compared with warfarin, but showed similar risks of MI (HR = 0.81, 95% CI, 0.59–1.11, p = 0.2) and cardiovascular mortality (HR = 0.77, 95% CI, 0.58–1.02, p = 0.07). Rivaroxaban at higher doses significantly increased the risk of major bleeding (HR = 1.16, 95% CI, 1.07–1.25, p < 0.01). We found no significant difference in terms of revascularization (OR = 1.49, 95% CI, 0.79–2.79, p = 0.14) in PAD patients in whom a poor distal runoff was the reason for the anticoagulation. DOACs have lower rates of major limb events, stroke, and mortality than VKAs in PAD patients with atrial fibrillation. Rivaroxaban at higher doses increased the risk of major bleeding compared with other DOAC drugs. More high-quality studies are needed to determine the most appropriate anticoagulation regimen for patients with lower-limb atherosclerosis.

Introduction and importance: Combined supra-aortic debranching and thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) are well-established therapeutic options for complex aortic arch pathologies. Although rare, late complications such as esophageal injury can be life-threatening and require prompt multidisciplinary management. Several cases of delayed esophageal perforation complicated by mediastinitis have been reported in the literature. However, perforation presenting solely as a graft infection causing microembolizations remains exceedingly rare. Case presentation: A 56-year-old male patient with a history of multiple prior cardiovascular surgeries (including TEVAR and zone 1 debranching) and no other relevant medical or habitual risk factors was admitted with recurrent fever, painful ischemic petechiae of the left hand, and left-sided transient ischemic attacks. Imaging studies demonstrated infection of the carotico-subclavian polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) crossover graft. Esophagogastroduodenoscopy revealed esophageal perforation caused by erosion of the retroesophageal PTFE graft. Complete graft explantation, arterial homograft reconstruction, and surgical repair of the esophageal lesion were performed. Subsequently, the patient required partial graft resection due to pseudoaneurysm formation of the homograft, as well as percutaneous angioplasty for stenosis of the subclavian anastomosis. At present, the patient remains in a satisfactory and stable condition. Clinical discussion: Retroesophageally positioned grafts may lead to esophageal perforation through chronic mechanical compression and subsequent ischemic necrosis of the esophageal wall. In the present case, the graft itself appeared to tamponade the perforation, thereby limiting mediastinal contamination and contributing to the subclinical presentation. Conclusion: The present case highlights the potential for an atypical and insidious clinical presentation that may delay diagnosis. Early graft explantation and appropriate reconstruction may lead to favorable clinical outcomes.