A
femoral-tibial bypass is used to bypass a blocked artery in the leg. The
bypass restores blood flow to the lower leg and foot.
To bypass a
blocked artery, blood is redirected through a graft. The graft is either a
healthy blood vessel that has been transplanted or a man-made material. This
graft is sewn above and below the diseased artery so that blood flows through
the graft and around the blockage.
In this picture, a graft
bypasses the blockage in an artery near the knee. The graft connects the common
femoral artery near the hip to a tibial artery in the lower leg.
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By
| Healthwise Staff |
|
Primary Medical Reviewer
| Rakesh K. Pai, MD, FACC - Cardiology, Electrophysiology |
|
Specialist Medical Reviewer
| David A. Szalay, MD - Vascular Surgery |
|
Last Revised
| October 14, 2011 |