Renal artery stenosis caused by Takayasu's arteritis is an important cause of hypertension in young patients in the Far East. The role of surgery in Takayasu's arteritis is not as well-defined as in atherosclerosis or fibromuscular dysplasia. In this retrospective review, the author reports the results of 19 renal artery reconstructions in 12 young patients (median age 23.5 years, range 10-46 years) presenting with renovascular hypertension and Takayasu's arteritis, and discusses the different surgical options. The procedures performed included aortorenal bypass using vein (five), aortorenal bypass using polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (eight), iliorenal bypass using vein (four), reimplantation of renal artery (one) and aortic replacement graft-renal bypass (one). Postoperatively, all 12 patients had a successful outcome with improved hypertension. There was no perioperative mortality, and complications included two early graft thrombosis and one late graft occlusion. These results support the view that surgical treatment for renovascular hypertension in Takaysu's disease is safe and effective.