The Esmarch bandage is an effective substitute for vascular clamps in
distal femoro-popliteal or tibial bypass surgery. Intimal trauma cause
d by clamping is avoided, vasa vasorum are preserved due to only semi-
circumferential dissection of vessels. This method is particularly sui
table for heavy calcified rigid vessel walls. We demonstrate this tech
nique, which was employed in 8 patients (10 bypasses). The use of this
technique requires neither a longer operation- nor clamping time. The
postoperative course of all but one patients develops normally and th
e technique does not provoke any pathological results in the area of o
peration. Advantages of the procedure compared to conventional techniq
ues will be discussed.