Artificial blood vessel. Coloured X-ray angiogram of chest blood vessels (dark). An artificial, grafted blood vessel (lower left) is marked by its supporting rings (green). The arching aorta (lower right) is a large artery that leads from the heart (not seen). The graft has been attached to the right axillary artery (centre left), below the right shoulder. The graft runs down to the groin (not seen), and splits to supply the femoral (leg) arteries with blood. This operation bypassed a blockage in the iliac (groin) arteries. It places less strain on the patient than a direct graft from the lower end of the aorta to the legs.