Disruption of proximal axillobifemoral bypass graft anastomosis

Anastomotic disruption of axillobifemoral bypass grafts is a rare but serious complication. Previously described causes of anastomotic disruption include the following: infection, technical errors, and severe mechanical stress. In this report we describe a proximal anastomotic disruption of an axillobifemoral bypass graft in which the suture line remained intact on the axillary artery and tore through the polytetrafluoroethylene graft. This suggests a possible role of material failure contributing to axillobifemoral anastomotic disruption.