Neurological Outcomes in Open Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm Repair Performed Under Deep Hypothermic Circulatory Arrest With and Without Spinal Drainage

Abstract

Spinal drainage is a well-accepted adjunct used to reduce the incidence of spinal cord morbidity after open thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair. However, the occurrence of major complications associated with spinal drains such as epidural hematoma can be devastating. Our practice has evolved to routinely performing extensive TAAA repair with the patient under cardiopulmonary bypass and deep hypothermic circulatory arrest (DHCA), because the intraoperative hypothermia provides spinal cord and other organ protection.