Purpose: Infection is one of the most serious complications in vascular surgery. Methods: We summarize the patients operated on in our clinic during a 3-year period for infection of the arterial reconstruction. Results: 577 primary arterial reconstructions were performed in the region of abdominal aorta and lower limb arteries during the years 2003–2005. In the same period 17 patients were operated on for infection of the arterial reconstruction grade III of Szilagyi (13x aortofemoral, 4x femoropopliteal region). The main agent of infection was Staphylococcus aureus (47.1%). In most cases the therapy involved revision of the infected groin (10x) with subsequent explantation of the reconstruction (7 patients). Eight extraanatomic reconstructions were performed. Three patients died during the follow-up (2 within 30 days of an operation). The one year mortality rate is 17.6%. Amputation was necessary in 6 patients (i.e. 35.3%) Conclusions: Handling vascular infection still remains a challenging diagnostic and therapeutic problem.

        Key words: infection – vascular surgery – prosthesis – sepsis