Supraceliac aorta-to-femoral artery bypass: definitive treatment for failed axillary femoral bypass.

A new operation is described for the definitive treatment of acutely occluded axillary femoral bypass grafts in patients who have previously had an infected aortofemoral prosthesis removed. An aortofemoral or aortopopliteal artery bypass is constructed by using the supraceliac aorta for the proximal anastomosis and avoiding the infrarenal retroperitoneal area. The disadvantages of other extra-anatomic bypasses are thus corrected and long-term patency enhanced.