Details of Aortofemoral Bypass Surgery

Aortofemoral bypass surgery is used to bypass diseased large blood vessels in the abdomen and groin.This procedure involves placing a graft to bypass the clogged blood vessel. The graft is an artificial conduit.

May include:

• Gangrene
• Leg aches
• Pain in the legs
• Legs that feel heavy

May be recommended:

• Blood tests
• Imaging tests including MRI, CT scan 
• Ultrasound
• Urine tests

In this procedure, your doctor will make an incision in your abdomen, another incision will be made in your groin area and a fabric tube shaped in a Y will be used as the graft connecting the tube to the artery in your abdomen. And the opposing two ends of the tube will be connected to the two femoral arteries in your legs, in this way the tube will be sewn into arteries to bypass the blood circulation to the legs.

May include: 

• Leg swelling
• Failed or blocked grafts
• Sexual dysfunction caused by nerve damage in the pelvis

May include:

• Infection in the wound
• Graft infection
• Bleeding after the operation
• Deep vein thrombosis
• Sexual dysfunction
• Stroke