Restoring circulation: Treating critical limb ischaemia

Our cells rely on a steady supply of oxygenated blood, delivered by the arteries and capillaries. But the build-up of sticky plaques can cause the arteries to narrow, restricting blood flow. In some people, this starves the limbs of blood, leading to a serious condition called critical limb ischaemia that kills more than half of those affected within 5 years of diagnosis. Although blocked arteries can sometimes be cleared through surgery, for many patients, the only option is amputation to remove the affected limb. This animation explores gene and cell-based therapies that aim to stimulate the growth of new blood vessels, revitalizing blood-starved tissues and helping to avoid the need for amputation.

For a poster on this subject go to: http://www.nature.com/critical-limb-ischaemia

Nature Research has full responsibility for all editorial content, including Nature Video content. This content is editorially independent of sponsors.


Leave a Comment

We don't require your email address, or your name, for anyone to leave a comment. If you do add an email address, you may be notified if there are replies to your comment - we won't use it for any other purpose. Please make respectful comments, which add value, and avoid personal attacks on others. Links are not allowed in comments - 99% of spam comments, attempt to post links. Please describe where people may find additional information - for example "visit the UN website" or "search Google for..." rather than posting a link. Comments failing to adhere to these guidelines will not be published.