Is above knee bypass defunct?

Abstract

As endovascular treatments improve, the inevitable progress will result in the abandonment of conventional bypasses. First and foremost in this regard is the use of above knee bypass, particularly with prosthetic graft material. Already, endovascular success approaches or exceeds the patency seen with this bypass technique. As a result, in centers with endovascular expertise in infrainguinal intervention, bypass surgery is increasingly being replaced by these techniques and conventional bypass surgery is disappearing. Over the next few years, above knee bypass will be replaced by endovascular techniques in most centers as our results with these techniques improve.