Prosthetic graft infections are an uncommon complication of aortic bypass. These infections may have serious sequelae such as limb loss and can be lethal. They are hard to eradicate and, under certain circumstances, difficult to diagnose. Usually, computed tomography (CT) is the most efficacious imaging method for diagnosis of graft infections due to its quick availability. The sensitivity of magnetic resonance imaging in detection of perigraft infection has not been thoroughly investigated but is probably similar to that of CT. After the early postoperative period, persistent or expanding perigraft soft tissue, fluid, and gas are the CT findings of graft infection. Aortoenteric fistula should be considered a subset of aortic graft infection; however, perigraft air is more likely to be seen with an aortoenteric fistula. Other conditions associated with graft infection include pseudoaneurysm, hydronephrosis, and osteomyelitis. Adjunctive studies such as sinography, ultrasonography, gallium scanning, and labeled white blood cell scanning can be quite useful in diagnosis, determination of the extent of disease, and selection of the treatment modality. White blood cell scanning is an important complementary test to CT in ambiguous cases, such as in the early postoperative period, and may be more sensitive in detection of early graft infection.

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Metal stents can be useful in the short term but have limited patency, often require repeat intervention, and have substantial complications. Long-term success depends heavily on repeat interventions or stent removal.

While both the balloon catheter and the bougie are effective for esophageal dilation, each has its proponents. From a biomechanical point of view, the two methods should differ significantly, since bougienage depends on advancing a tapered dilator to generate radial force and balloon catheter dilation depends solely on balloon inflation to generate its radial dilating force. In a series of equivalent esophageal stenoses made by suture plication in swine esophageal segments, the authors measured shear force and radial force generated by dilation with a Maloney bougie, a Savary-Gilliard bougie, and an esophageal balloon. The mean radial forces generated were 6.42, 4.46, and 4.04 N, respectively, which did not differ significantly. However, the mean shear forces measured were 16.92, 6.92, and 1.44 N, respectively. The shear force with the Maloney bougie differed significantly from that with the Savary-Gilliard and the balloon and was on the same order of magnitude as the tensile strength of the esophagus (25-27 N). The shear force with the balloon was significantly lower than that with either bougie. In theory, the reduced shear force associated with balloon dilation might reduce the risk of esophageal perforation, but safety will have to be determined in clinical trials.