Surgical bypasses and percutanous transluminal angioplasty have evolved as possible treatment options for patients 
with popliteal artery steno-occlusive disease. In this retrospective study a comparison was made between the results of 
management of 43 patients who were subjected to surgical bypasses (group1) (group 1A); 25 with long bypasses and (group 1B) 18 with short bypasses) and those of 11 patients who were subjected to percutanous transluminal angioplasty (group2). 
In group 1(bypass group) limb salvage rate was 72% and 56% at one month and one year respectively for long bypass 
group1A. For those with short bypasses, (group 1B) limb salvage rate was 72% and 60% at one month and one year 
respectively. In group 2 (Angioplasty group), limb salvage rate was 64% and 45% at one month and one year respectively. 
These results denote that surgical bypasses have better short and long term patency rates than those of angioplasty, 
consequently, surgical bypasses can be considered the treatment of choice for good risk patients with popliteal artery stenoocclusive disease. High-risk patients and those with short stenotic segment and good run off can benefit from balloon angioplasty.