The aortobifemoral bypass surgery is a rather serious one that is primarily used in the instances where the patient is suffering from blocked blood vessels in the abdomen or the pelvis. The problem with this medical ailment is the fact that it does not show up any serious symptoms right up until the condition has developed significantly - resulting in a significant amount of discomfort that will progress into disability because of the way it affects the limbs later on.
In order for the medical staff to consider the aortobifemoral bypass procedure, the condition must have progressed to a case where the blocked blood vessels must cause some significant symptoms as well as some threat to the limbs. The aortobifemoral bypass will work by redirecting the blood with the help of a graft that is made up of synthetic material (usually the type of dacron) and sewn above and below the graft so as to direct the blood flow through the graft. Because of the fact that the blood vessels involved in the operation are large, manmade grafts are more often used in aortobifemoral bypass surgery than transplanted natural grafts. The procedure is performed after the patient has been administered general anesthesia, resulting in the patient being rendered asleep during the procedure.
The aortobifemoral bypass graft procedure is considered to be rather successful because in about 90% of all its cases, the graft stays open for a period of about 5 years. However, like any surgical procedure, there are always risks that could occur, no matter how remote their possibility. Apart from infection or bleeding that may usually be the result of complacency on the part of the surgeon, some of the other aortobifemoral bypass complications that are known to occur include failed or blocked grafts, strokes or even heart attacks and sexual dysfunction that is the result of nerve damage in the pelvis.
Given the fact that the aortobifemoral bypass graft is performed on rather large blood vessels within the abdomen, recovery from the procedure will take some significant amount of time. Immediately after the procedure, for the aortobifemoral bypass recovery time you will be required to spend between 24 to 48 hours in bed as well as maybe even a week in the hospital under observation. Before undergoing the medical procedure, the presiding doctor will need to run through a series of tests to gauge the amount of plaque or obstruction in the region. There are a variety of aortobifemoral bypass techniques that are used in the medical fraternity, but all geared to the same purpose.