HOW CRITICAL IS CHRONIC CRITICAL LEG ISCHEMIA

''Critical'' according to the Oxford dictionary means: a ''turning poi nt'' where an acute change for better or worse may be anticipated. Thu s, the meaning of the word ''critical'' complies with its use in relat ion to ischaemia. We don't really know, prospectively, what will happe n to the critically ischaemic limb, whether it will improve or worsen. The answer to the question ''How critical is critical leg ischaemia ( CLI)?'' must be: ''We don't know!'' The addition of ankle systolic pre ssure as an objective haemodynamic measurement has not made the defini tion of the Second European Consensus Group significantly better than the original Fontaine classification, grade III and IV. For clinical p ractice the Fontaine classification will be sufficient. For scientific purposes macro- and microcirculatory assessments and information abou t the patient's risk profile should be added.