All surgeries carry a certain amount of risks. In general, the risks for people who have surgery for peripheral arterial disease of the legs (PAD) are similar to other types of surgery and include:

• Infection from the incision.
• Bleeding.
• Heart attack or stroke.

Specific risks for PAD surgery include:

• Leg swelling.
• Failed or blocked grafts.

Angioplasty has fewer life-threatening risks than bypass surgery. Risks include:

• Rupture of the artery.
• Bleeding at the site of the catheter insertion.
• Sudden closure of the artery.
• Blood clots.
• Allergic reaction.
• Kidney damage.