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Femoropopliteal (fem-pop) bypass

Blocked artery and position of graft in femoropopliteal bypass

Femoropopliteal (fem-pop) bypass surgery is used to bypass narrowed or blocked arteries above or below the knee. The bypass restores blood flow to the leg.

To bypass a narrowed or 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 onto both the femoral and popliteal arteries so that blood can travel through the graft and around the diseased part.

Current as of: December 16, 2019

Author: Healthwise Staff
Medical Review: Rakesh K. Pai, MD - Cardiology, Electrophysiology
Adam Husney, MD - Family Medicine
Martin J. Gabica, MD - Family Medicine
David A. Szalay, MD - Vascular Surgery