In trauma settings, damage control takes priority. A temporary vascular shunt (e.g., a sterile plastic tube) can restore flow within minutes while the surgeon addresses other life-threatening injuries, allowing definitive repair later.

Understanding Surgical Repair of a Vessel: Techniques, Indications, and Recovery

When a section of a vessel is too damaged to be repaired, surgeons create a detour. A graft is attached above and below the damaged area, allowing blood to flow around the blockage. Often using the saphenous vein from the leg.