ABSTRACT
INTRODUCTION Critical limb ischemia (CLI) is a clinical definition involving a spectrum of clinical features to describe chronic and severe compromise in limb perfusion that results in failure to meet the basal metabolic needs. It is ordinarily manifested by the presence of rest pain, with or without trophic skin changes or tissue loss, including ischemic ulceration and/or ischemic gangrene with appropriate documentation of circulatory impairment. Typically, narcotic medications are required for analgesia.
