Objective: in diabetic patients with critical limb ischaemia (CLI) an inferior success rate following infrainguinal bypass surgery is quite often suggested. The aim of this retrospective analysis was, therefore, to evaluate the graft patency and, particularly, the clinical outcome at 1 year in diabetic compared with non-diabetic patients. Material and Methods: two hundred and eleven patients (diabetics 94; non-diabetics 117) with femorodistal reconstruction for CLI were studied. Groups were comparable with regard to the Fontaine classification, the distribution of vascular risk factors, graft material, distal anastomosis site, and the angiographic runoff grading. Results: diabetes did not adversely affect graft function. For diabetics and non-diabetics primary cumulative patency rate at 1 year was found to be 66 and 56%, respectively (p = 0.10) and a virtually identical limb salvage rate of 85 and 83% was achieved (p = 0.76). With regard to healing of ischaemic foot ulcers a trend against diabetics was noted with a healing rate of 81% compared to 96% in non-diabetics at 1 year (p = 0.067); gangrenons foot lesions could be equally remedied in 94% and in 87% among patients with and without diabetes (p = 0.44). The survival rate of diabetics, however, was significantly lower with 78% at 1 year compared with 95% in non-diabetic patients (p = 0.0004). Conclusions: our preliminary results support the view that infrainguinal bypass grafting can be safely done even in diabetics. Despite increased mortality in this group, liberal indication for reconstructive vascular surgery seems to be justified by favourable patency rates and clinical outcome in selected patients. Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg 25, 229–234 (2003)