[Management of a patient with critical limb ischemia]

The severity of the prognostic of critical limb ischemia imposes a multidisciplinary approach, done by a highly specialised centre. A delay in managing this condition increases significantly the risk of amputation. For most patients, a revascularisation procedure, surgical or endovascular, can be considered, since the aim of the treatment is to restore an arterial flux to permit cicatrisation and relieve pain. When the choice is possible, endovascular techniques are preferred, because more simple, done without anaesthesia and charged of less complications rate. The choice between two techniques is never simple and imposes the intervention of a multidisciplinary staff composed by vascular specialist, vascular surgeons and interventional radiologists. The aim of the medical treatment, waiting for the revascularisation, is to control the pain and the infection, prevent progression of the lesions and to optimise respiratory and cardiac functions.