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Procedure

The surgery is generally performed under general anaesthesia. The surgeon makes an incision in the upper leg, and a graft either man-made or the patient's vein is sewn to both ends of the artery. The graft reroutes the blood flow around the blocked artery, allowing for adequate supply back to the parts of the leg. Generally, it is preferred where possible, a healthy vein is used to make the graft as it has shown to have a better outcome of the procedure. In cases however where a vein can not be used, materials such as polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) or Dacron are often used to make the graft.