Aortobifemoral Bypass for Peripheral Arterial Disease
Surgery Overview
Aortobifemoral bypass surgery is used to bypass diseased large blood vessels in the abdomen and groin.
To bypass the blocked blood vessel, blood is redirected through a graft made of synthetic material (such as polytetrafluoroethylene [PTFE] or Dacron). This graft is sewn above and below the diseased artery so that blood flows through the graft. These man-made grafts are more likely to be used than transplanted natural grafts for aortobifemoral surgery, because the blood vessels involved are large.
The artificial blood vessel is formed into a Y shape. The single
end of the Y is sewn on the aorta. The two split ends of the Y are sewn below
the blocked or narrowed areas of the femoral arteries. This allows the blood to
travel around (bypass) the diseased areas. See a picture of
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General anesthesia is used and will cause you to sleep through the procedure.
| By: | Reference Healthwise Staff | Last Revised: October 14, 2011 |
| Medical Review: | Reference Rakesh K. Pai, MD, FACC - Cardiology, Electrophysiology
Reference David A. Szalay, MD - Vascular Surgery |
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