Critical ischaemia is a term to describe a severe deficiency of blood to a limb, usually the leg.
It may present with gangarene of the toes, ulcers or pain in the foot which can make sleeping impossible. Treatment usually requires a bypass from the femoral artery in the groin to an artery in the distal part of the leg, at or just above the ankle. The patients own vein is used as the bypass conduit. This operation is peformed to avoid limb amputation. All Rights Reserved.