BACKGROUND Chronic lower limb ischemia due to atherosclerosis causes significant morbidity especially in elderly: the prevalence of asymptomatic obstructive peripheral atherosclerosis among 40-74 old is 4-22%. The prevalence of its milder symptomatic manifestation, intermittent claudication among 40 years old men is about 1% and among 70 years old it is 7%. In about 10% of the patients the ischemia worsens to threat the vitality of the limb. Although intermittent claudication has a benign prognosis and can often treated conservatively, more severe forms with extensive arterial obstructions require revascularization, either open surgical or endovascular. Surgical bypass operation is currently the standard reference for treating long SFA obstructions. Up to 81% two-year patency can be appreciated after bypass with a good quality sapheneous vein. If synthetic graft is used the long term patency is somewhat lower, up to 67% according to a systematic review (Klinkert et al 2004).