BY DR. JEAN E. STARR
IN THE LEG, also called lower extremity bypass, leg bypass, fem-pop bypass, fem-tib bypass, fem-distal bypass.
IN THE ABDOMEN, also called aortic bypass, aorto-iliac bypass, aorto-femoral bypass, fem-fem bypass, aorto-mesenteric, and ax-fem bypass, depending on which blood vessel is being bypassed.
With the help of a natural or synthetic graft, a surgical bypass routes blood flow around an area of blockage caused by peripheral arterial disease (PAD). The surgery does not cure the disease or remove the blockage. Think of a surgical bypass as a road detour.
How long it lasts varies
The lifespan of a surgical bypass depends on the health of your arteries, the type of graft used (natural vein grafts last longer than synthetic ones) and other health factors, such as whether you smoke, or have diabetes or kidney failure.