BACKGROUND: Abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA) are associated with lower-limb occlusive arterial disease (LLOAD) in 20-40% of patients. Retrospective analysis of 200 elective AAA repairs and comparison with literature data revealed that LLOAD has little influence on standard therapeutic management of AAA. METHODS: In this study, only 2.5% of the patients required femoropopliteal bypass along with aneurysm repair. In contrast, aneurysm repair was associated with lumbar sympathectomy in 30% of cases owing to existence of peripheral arterial disease. RESULTS: Concurrent LLOAD did not significantly increase the operative mortality of AAA, but postoperative peripheral arterial complications were more frequent in patients with both aneurysmal and occlusive disease. CONCLUSIONS: Although concomitant LLOAD did not adversely affect the long-term survival of patients who underwent surgical repair of AAA, this subgroup of patients was at higher risk of aggravation of their lower extremity arterial lesions.