Thoracic And Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm Research Articles

The quest to lower spinal cord injuries continues

Cerebrospinal fluid drainage (CSFD) has been considered one of the most important measures to reduce the risk of spinal cord injuries (SCIs) during open and endovascular repair of thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs).1-4 Although there is no level I evidence for using prophylactic CSFD during thoracic (TEVAR) or fenestrated-branched endovascular aortic repair (FB-EVAR), this practice has been widely adopted based on the results of a small prospective randomized study of 145 patients treated for Extent I-II TAAAs with open repair, which showed a reduction in the risk of SCI from 13% to 3% with routine drainage.

PREVENTION AND MANAGEMENT OF SPINAL CORD ISCHEMIA FOLLOWING AORTIC SURGERY: A NATIONWIDE SURVEY

Spinal cord ischemia (SCI) is a devastating complication of thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair. We aim to characterize the current practices pertaining to SCI prevention and treatment across Canada.

Minimally Invasive Segmental Artery Coil Embolization for Preconditioning of the Spinal Cord Collateral Network before One-Stage Descending and Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm Repair

Paraplegia remains the most devastating complication after thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAA/A) repair. The collateral network (CN) concept of spinal cord perfusion suggests segmental artery (SA) occlusion to mobilize redundant intraspinal and paraspinal arterial sources and ultimately trigger arteriogenesis, leading to spinal cord blood flow restoration within 96 to 120 hours. This principle is used by the two-staged approach to TAA/A-repair--which has lead to an elimination of paraplegia in an experimental model. However, the clinical implementation of a two-staged surgical procedure is challenging, particularly in the absence of an appropriate vascular segment for a "staged" open anastomosis or an appropriate endovascular landing zone. Selective, transfemoral minimally invasive SA coil embolization (MISACE) could provide the solution for one-stage repair of extensive aortic pathologies by triggering arteriogenic CN preconditioning and thereby allowing for recruitment of otherwise redundant arterial collaterals to the spinal cord. The feasibility of MISACE was explored in a single animal using an established piglet model. A 6F sheet was introduced via the femoral artery, and a 4F standard Judkins catheter was used for selective angiography and coil insertion. All thoracic and lumbar aortic SAs (15 pairs; Th4-L5) were successfully identified by dye injection. Pediatric platinum endovascular coils (Trufill Pushable Coils, 3 × 20 mm; Cordis, Waterloo, Belgium) were deployed to serially occlude the SA mimicking a CN preconditioning procedure. All intercostal (thoracic) and lumbar aortic SAs (Th4-L5) were successfully identified and occluded by coil embolization. Successful SA coil embolization was verified intraoperatively by selective dye injection on angiography. No intraoperative coil dislodgement occurred. Autopsy revealed complete occlusion of all embolized SAs enhanced by early local thrombus formation. Thrombotic material was found only distally to the coils. No SA dissection was observed at the aortic SA origins. The MISACE technique allows for rapid serial endovascular occlusion of all thoracic and lumbar SAs. This new innovative approach bares the potential to CN preconditioning at the respective level of aortic pathology--to allow for adequate perioperative spinal cord blood supply--before conventional open or endovascular surgery. Selective, transarterial MISACE might lead to a dramatic reduction of ischemic spinal cord injury after open and endovascular TAA/A repair in the future.

Das zweizeitige Vorgehen zur Reduktion der spinalen Ischämie bei der Ausschaltung thorakoabdomineller Aortenaneurysmen - eine Übersicht

The spinal cord is particularly susceptible to ischaemic injury following repair of extensive descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAA). For the past decade, the Mount Sinai group in New York has intensively studied the anatomy of the extensive vascular network surrounding the spinal cord, as well as its dynamic morphology in response to decreased blood pressure and flow. Along with clinical data, experimental findings gave rise to the Collateral Network Concept, by which spinal cord injury in open TAAA repair can be significantly reduced. With the more recent widespread use of endovascular repair, strategies to prevent ischaemic spinal cord damage after extensive segmental artery sacrifice/occlusion are still evolving. The hypothesis that dividing extensive aneurysm repair into two steps may mitigate the impact of diminished blood flow to the collateral network has led to a recently conducted series of staged repair experiments. By exploiting the resources of the collateral network, spinal cord injury could be minimised in staged open, as well as in staged hybrid repair and seems equally adoptable for endovascular procedures. The contribution presented herein provides an overview of clinical and experimental studies on the staged approach. Furthermore, it briefly assesses the anatomic rationale for the collateral network concept.

Cerebrospinal fluid drainage for thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm surgery

During aortic aneurysm surgery, cross-clamping can lead to inadequate blood supply to the spinal cord resulting in neurological deficit. Cerebrospinal fluid drainage (CSFD) may increase the perfusion pressure to the spinal cord and hence reduce the risk of ischaemic spinal cord injury. To determine the effect of CSFD during thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) surgery on the risk of developing spinal cord injury. For this update the Cochrane Peripheral Vascular Diseases Group Trials Search Co-ordinator searched the Specialised Register (last searched May 31 2012) and CENTRAL (2012, Issue 5) for publications describing randomised controlled trials of cerebrospinal fluid drainage for thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm surgery. Reference lists of relevant articles were checked. Randomised trials involving CSFD during thoracic and TAAA surgery. Both authors assessed the quality of trials independently. SNK extracted data and GS verified the data. Three trials with a total of 287 participants operated on for Type I or II TAAA were included.In the first trial of 98 participants, neurological deficits in the lower extremities occurred in 14 (30%) of CSFD group and 17 (33%) controls. The deficit was observed within 24 hours of the operation in 21 (68%), and from three to 22 days in 10 (32%) participants. CSFD did not have a significant benefit in preventing ischaemic injury to the spinal cord.The second trial of 33 participants used a combination of CSFD and intrathecal papaverine. It showed a statistically significant reduction in the rate of postoperative neurological deficit (P = 0.039), compared to controls. Analysis was undertaken after only one third of the estimated sample size had entered the trial.In the third trial TAAA repair was performed on 145 participants. CSFD was initiated during the operation and continued for 48 hours after surgery. Paraplegia or paraparesis occurred in 9 of 74 participants (12.2%) in the control group versus 2 of 82 participants (2.7%) receiving CSFD (P = 0.03). Overall, CSFD resulted in an 80% reduction in the relative risk of postoperative deficits. Meta-analysis showed an odds ratio (OR) of 0.48 (95 % confidence interval (CI) 0.25 to 0.92). For CSFD-only trials, OR was 0.57 (95% CI 0.28 to 1.17) and for intention-to-treat analysis in CSFD-only studies, the OR remained unchanged. There are limited data supporting the role of CSFD in thoracic and thoracoabdominal aneurysm surgery for prevention of neurological injury. Further clinical and experimental studies are indicated.

Open Repair of Descending and Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysms and Dissections in Patients Aged Younger Than 60 Years: Superior to Endovascular Repair?

The best option for repair of descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAA)-whether open operation or stent grafting-is increasingly a subject of controversy. We examined the results of open surgical repair in patients aged 60 years or younger to assess the value of conventional repair in younger patients. From October 2002 to October 2010, 107 of 294 TAAA operations were in patients (75 men [70%]) aged a mean of 48 ± 9 years. Twelve patients (11%) had Marfan syndrome. Operations were elective in 101 (94%); previous aortic operations had been performed in 40 (37%). The most common indication for operation was chronic dissection, in 60 (56%); 5 (4.7%) had acute dissection, and rupture was present in 6 (5.6%). Descending repair was undertaken in 44 (41%), in 32 (73%) as an elephant trunk stage II. Deep hypothermic circulatory arrest was used in 46 (42.9%). Neurologic monitoring and cerebrospinal fluid drainage were routine. Median postoperative follow-up was 4.3 years (range, 2 days to 7.9 years). Overall 30-day mortality was 4.7%. Stroke occurred in 4 patients (3.7%) and paraplegia in 1 (0.9%). The linearized rate for reoperation for TAAA was 0.22/100 patient-years (1 patient in 448.8 patient-years). Survival at 1, 5, and 8 years was 90.5%, 89.4% and 80.5%, respectively. During follow-up, 1 patient with Ehlers-Danlos died of aortic complications at 4.5 years. Although direct comparison with stent grafting is limited by the diversity of patients and indications in published reports, our results suggest that open repair should be the modality of choice. Early mortality and neurologic complication rates are similar, if not superior, to endovascular repair for descending aortic and TAAAs. Open repair has proven durability and a very low rate of required reintervention, in contrast with endovascular repair.

Treatment of Delayed Neurological Deficits after Surgical Repair of Thoracic Aortic Aneurysm

Delayed neurologic deficits, paraplegia and paraparesis, are devastating complications after repair of a descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA). A treatment protocol has not been established, although strategies such as cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage, maintaining blood pressure and medication have been described. Cerebrospinal drain status /oxygen delivery/patient status (COPS) therapy for delayed neurological deficit can improve spinal cord ischemia through reducing intraspinal pressure, improving oxygen delivery and maintaining high blood pressure. We describe one patient (Case 1), in whom descending thoracic and abdominal aortic aneurysms were treated by endovascular aortic repair, and another (Case 2) with Crawford type II TAAA, who developed delayed neurological deficits that were treated with immediate COPS therapy (Modified Tarlov scale; Case 1, improved from 2 to 4; Case 2, from 0 to 4). These findings indicate the benefit of COPS for treating delayed neurological deficits after descending thoracic and TAAA.

Extensive thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair: does early postoperative spinal cord injury cause delayed-onset paraplegia?

Objective: Paraplegia remains the most devastating complication after extensive thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAA/A) repair. Recent experimental studies suggest that ischemic spinal cord injury (SCI) is independent of segmental artery (SA) preservation, and may occur not intraoperatively, but during the first few hours postoperatively.

Thoracic and Thoracoabdominal Aneurysm Repair: Is Reimplantation of Spinal Cord Arteries a Waste of Time?

The impact of different strategies for management of intercostal and lumbar arteries during repair of thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAA/A) on the prevention of paraplegia remains poorly understood. One hundred consecutive patients with intraoperative monitoring of motor evoked potentials (MEP) and somatosensory evoked potentials (SSEP) during TAA/A repair involving serial segmental artery sacrifice (October 2002 to December 2004) were reviewed. Operative mortality was 6%. The median intensive care unit stay was 2.5 days (IQ range: 1-4 days), and the median hospital stay 10.0 days (IQ range: 8-17 days). Potentials remained unchanged during the course of serial segmental artery sacrifice, or could be returned to baseline levels by anesthetic and blood pressure manipulation, in 99 of 100 cases. An average of 8.0 +/- 2.6 segmental artery pairs were sacrificed overall, with an average of 4.5 +/- 2.1 segmental pairs sacrificed between T7 and L1, where the artery of Adamkiewicz is presumed to arise. Postoperative paraplegia occurred in 2 patients. In 1, immediate paraplegia was precipitated by an intraoperative dissection, resulting in 6 hours of lower body ischemia. A second ambulatory patient had severe paraparesis albeit normal cerebral function after resuscitation from a respiratory arrest. With monitoring of MEP and SSEP, sacrifice--without reimplantation--of as many as 15 intercostal and lumbar arteries during TAA/A repair is safe, resulting in acceptably low rates of immediate and delayed paraplegia. This experience suggests that routine surgical implantation of segmental vessels is not indicated, and that, with evolving understanding of spinal cord perfusion, endovascular repair of the entire thoracic aorta should ultimately be possible without spinal cord injury.

Cochrane Collaborative Review Group on Peripheral Vascular Diseases: Review Abstracts

The following abstracts are part of an ongoing series of articles produced by the Cochrane Collaborative Review Group on Peripheral Vascular Diseases, which is part of The Cochrane Collaboration. The reviews are published in full on The Cochrane Library, a quarterly electronic journal available on CD-ROM and via the internet. The electronic format allows Cochrane reviews to accommodate new data as they become available, making the library a consistently up-to-date source of information over time. Certain abstracts appearing on The Cochrane Library may be presented in a simpler, less scientific format than the abstract presented here to permit greater accessibility to the public. However, the substance of both versions is the same. Cochrane reviews are now indexed on MEDLINE. If you are interested in conducting a Cochrane review or contributing to the activities of the Cochrane Collaborative Review Group on Peripheral Vascular Diseases, please contact: Professor FGR Fowkes Cochrane Collaborative Review Group on Peripheral Vascular Diseases Public Health Sciences University of Edinburgh Teviot Place Edinburgh EH8 9AG, UK Tel.: +44 131 650 3220 Fax: +44 131 650 6904. Any comments or criticisms on Cochrane reviews/abstracts should be made through the comments/criticisms facility on The Cochrane Library, or by contacting the group at the above address. Abstract. Cerebrospinal fluid drainage for thoracic and throacoabdominal aortic aneurysm surgery. Khan SN, Stansby G First Published: The Cochrane Library Issue 1, 2004 During aortic aneurysm surgery, cross-clamping can lead to inadequate blood supply to the spinal cord resulting in neurological deficit. Cerebrospinal fluid drainage (CSFD) may increase the perfusion pressure to the spinal cord and hence reduce the risk of ischaemic spinal cord injury. To determine the effect of CSFD during thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) surgery on the risk of developing spinal cord injury. The reviewers searched the Cochrane Peripheral Vascular Diseases Group trials register (last searched July 2004), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) database (last searched The Cochrane Library Issue 2, 2004). Reference lists of relevant articles and recent conference proceedings were scanned. Randomised controlled trials involving CSFD during thoracic and TAAA surgery. Both reviewers assessed the quality of trials independently. SNK extracted data and GS verified the data. Three trials with a total of 287 participants operated on for type I or II TAAA were included. In the first trial of 98 participants, neurological deficits in the lower extremities occurred in 14 (30%) in CSFD group and 17 (33%) controls. The deficit was observed within 24 h of the operation in 21 (68%), and from 3 to 22 days in 10 (32%) participants. CSFD did not have a significant benefit in preventing ischaemic injury to the spinal cord. The second trial of 33 participants used a combination of CSFD and intrathecal papaverine. It showed a statistically significant reduction in the rate of postoperative neurological deficit (P 0.039), compared to controls. Analysis was undertaken after only one third of the estimated sample size had entered the trial. In the third trial TAAA repair was performed on 145 participants. CSFD was initiated during the operation and continued for 48 h after surgery. Paraplegia or paraparesis occurred in 9 of 74 participants (12.2%) in the control group versus 2 of 82 participants (2.7%) receiving CSFD (P 0.03). Overall, CSFD resulted in an 80% reduction in the relative risk of postoperative deficits. Meta-analysis showed an odds ratio (OR) of 0.48 (95% confidence interval (CI) 0.25 to 0.92). For CSFD-only trials, OR was 0.57 (95% CI 0.28 to 1.17) and for intention-to-treat analysis in CSFD-only studies, the OR remained unchanged. There are limited data supporting the role of CSFD in thoracic and thoracoabdominal aneurysm surgery for prevention of neurological injury. Further clinical and experimental studies are indicated.

Case 3—2005 Risk and Benefits of Cerebrospinal Fluid Drainage During Thoracoabdominal Aortic Aneurysm Surgery

Repair of descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAAs) is associated with a substantial risk of perioperative spinal cord ischemia that may or may not lead to permanent postoperative paralysis. Several techniques that aim to increase the ischemia tolerance time of the spinal cord during the period of aortic cross-clamping have been described in the literature. 1 Afifi S. Cerebrospinal fluid drainage protects the spinal cord during thoracoabdominal aortic reconstruction surgery. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2002; 16: 643-649 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (11) Google Scholar Hypothermia, left heart bypass, various shunts, myriad drugs, and cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage have all been used alone or in combination to potentially improve neurologic outcome after surgery. CSF drainage and distal aortic perfusion have been shown to lower the incidence of neurologic complications after repair of type I and type II TAAAs. 2 Coselli J. Cerebrospinal fluid drainage reduces paraplegia after thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair Results of a randomized clinical trial. J Vasc Surg. 2002; 35: 631-639 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (527) Google Scholar Distal aortic perfusion increases distal aortic pressure, and CSF drainage decreases CSF pressure. These techniques potentially lead to an augmentation of spinal cord perfusion pressure during the period of aortic cross-clamping. However, CSF drainage can be associated with potentially serious complications, including fracture of the catheter during removal, catheter-associated meningitis, and/or temporary abducens nerve palsy, among others. 3 Cheung A.T. Pochettino A. Guvakov D.V. et al. Safety of lumbar drains in thoracic aortic operations performed with extracorporeal circulation. Ann Thorac Surg. 2003; 76: 1190-1197 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (76) Google Scholar Also, epidural hematoma at the catheter insertion site can complicate the clinical assessment of postoperative spinal ischemic injury. 4 Weaver K. Weisman D.B. Farber M. et al. Complications of lumbar drainage after thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair. J Vasc Surg. 2001; 34: 623-627 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (78) Google Scholar Intracranial subdural hematomas, with excessive CSF drainage, have also been reported and are associated with significant morbidity and mortality. 5 Dardik A. Perler B.A. Roseborough G.S. et al. Subdural hematoma after thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair An underreported complication of spinal fluid drainage?. J Vasc Surg. 2002; 36: 47-50 Abstract Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (122) Google Scholar Subsequently, some authors have challenged the efficacy of CSF drainage and question the acceptable risk:benefit ratio of the technique. 6 Wallace L. Cerebrospinal fluid drainage does not protect the spinal cord during thoracoabdominal aortic reconstruction surgery. J Cardiothorac Vasc Anesth. 2002; 16: 650-652 Abstract Full Text Full Text PDF PubMed Scopus (8) Google Scholar , 7 Ling E. Arellano R. Systematic overview of the evidence supporting the use of cerebrospinal fluid drainage in thoracoabdominal aneurysm surgery for prevention of paraplegia. Anesthesiology. 2000; 93: 1115-1122 Crossref PubMed Scopus (48) Google Scholar

Cerebrospinal fluid drainage for thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm surgery.

During aortic aneurysm surgery, cross-clamping can lead to inadequate blood supply to the spinal cord resulting in neurological deficit. Cerebrospinal fluid drainage (CSFD) may increase the perfusion pressure to the spinal cord and hence reduce the risk of ischaemic spinal cord injury. To determine the effect of CSFD during thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) surgery on the risk of developing spinal cord injury. The reviewers searched the Cochrane Peripheral Vascular Diseases Group Specialised Trials Register (last searched October 2003), the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) database (last searched Issue 4, 2003), MEDLINE and EMBASE, and reference lists of relevant articles. Recent conference proceedings were scanned. Randomised trials involving CSFD during thoracic and TAAA surgery. Both reviewers assessed the quality of trials independently. One reviewer (SNK) extracted data and the other reviewer (GS) verified the data. Three trials, with a total of 287 participants operated on for type I or II TAAA, were included. In the first trial of 98 patients, neurological deficits in the lower extremities occurred in 14 (30%) CSFD and 17 (33%) controls. The deficit was observed within 24 hours of the operation in 21 (68%), and from 3 to 22 days in 10 (32%). CSFD did not have a significant benefit in preventing ischaemic injury to the spinal cord. The second trial of 33 patients used a combination of CSFD and intrathecal papaverine. It showed a statistically significant reduction in the rate of postoperative neurological deficit (p = 0.039), compared to controls. Analysis was undertaken after only one third of the estimated sample size had entered the trial. In the third trial TAAA repair was performed on 145 patients. CSFD was initiated during the operation and continued for 48 hours after surgery. Paraplegia or paraparesis occurred in 9 of 74 patients (12.2%) in the control group versus 2 of 82 patients (2.7%) with CSFD (p = 0.03). Overall, CSFD resulted in an 80% reduction in the relative risk of postoperative deficits. Meta-analysis showed an odds ratio (OR) of 0.48 (0.25 to 0.92; confidence interval (CI) 95%). For CSFD trials only OR was 0.57 (0.28 to 1.17) and for intention-to-treat in CSFD only studies OR remained unchanged. There are limited data supporting the role of CSFD in thoracic and thoracoabdominal aneurysm surgery for prevention of neurological injury. Further clinical and experimental studies are indicated.

Determinants of hospital length of stay after thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair

Purpose: Extended hospital length of stay (LOS) and consequent high costs are associated with thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) surgery. In this study, we examined factors that may influence LOS after TAAA repair. Methods: Five hundred forty thoracic and TAAA repairs were performed by one surgeon between 1990 and 1999. The data were analyzed with multiple linear regression with appropriate logarithmic transformation. The predictor variables included patient demographics, disease extent, severity indicators, intraoperative factors, and postoperative complications. Results: The median LOS was 15 days. Postoperative creatinine level of greater than 2.9 was the most important predictor of LOS, followed by spinal cord deficit, age, and pulmonary complication (all statistically significant with P <.05). A second model constrained to preoperative risk factors showed both age and complete diaphragmatic division to be associated with increased LOS. Preservation of the diaphragm led to reduced LOS by an average of 4 days. The adjunct cerebrospinal fluid drainage and distal aortic perfusion was associated with a decrease in LOS, although it did not reach statistical significance. Conclusion: Renal failure, spinal cord deficit, and pulmonary complication were the major determinants of LOS in patients for TAAA repair. This study shows that the preservation of diaphragmatic function and the use of the adjunct distal aortic perfusion and cerebrospinal fluid drainage may reduce hospital LOS. (J Vasc Surg 2002;35:648-53.)

Neurologic outcome after thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair

Background. Neurologic deficit (paraparesis and paraplegia) after repair of the thoracic and thoracoabdominal aorta remains a devastating complication. The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of cerebrospinal fluid drainage and distal aortic perfusion upon neurologic outcome during repair of thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (TAAA) repair. Methods. Between February 1991 and March 2000, we performed 654 repairs of the thoracic and thoracoabdominal aorta. The median age was 67 years and 420 (64%) patients were male. Forty-five cases (6.9%) were performed emergently. Distribution of TAAA was the following: extent I, 164 (25%); extent II, 165 (25%); extent III, 61 (9%); extent IV, 95 (15%); extent V, 23 (3.5%); and descending thoracic, 147 (22%). The adjuncts cerebrospinal fluid drainage and distal aortic perfusion were used in 428 cases (65%). Results. Thirty-day mortality was 14% (94 of 654). The in-hospital mortality was 16% (106 of 654). Early neurologic deficits occurred in 33 patients (5.0%). Overall, 14 of 428 (3.3%) neurologic deficits were observed in the adjunct group, and 19 of 226 (8.4%) in the nonadjunct group ( p = 0.004). When the adjuncts were used during extent II repair, the incidence was 10 of 129 (7.8%) compared with 11 of 36 (30.6%) in the nonadjunct group ( p < 0.001). Multivariate analysis demonstrated that risk factors for neurologic deficit were cerebrovascular disease and extent of TAAA (II and III) ( p < 0.05). Conclusions. The combined adjuncts of distal aortic perfusion and cerebrospinal fluid drainage demonstrated improved neurologic outcome with repair of thoracic and TAAAs. In extent II aneurysms, adjuncts continue to make a considerable difference in the outcome and to provide significant protection against spinal cord morbidity. Future research should focus on spinal cord protection in patients with high-risk extent II aneurysms.

Effects of cerebrospinal fluid drainage in patients undergoing thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic surgery

Cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage has been reported to protect the spinal cord during surgical procedures requiring thoracic aortic cross-clamping. In 1986, CSF pressure monitoring and drainage was begun in an attempt to reduce the incidence of paraplegia associated with surgical repair of descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAA). These Group II patients (n = 50) were retrospectively compared to Group I patients (n = 49) who had undergone similar surgical procedures in the previous 3 years before CSF monitoring was introduced into this practice. Group II patients had intrathecal catheters placed for monitoring of CSF pressure and drainage of CSF to maintain the pressure ≤15 mmHg. Seven patients (four in Group I, three in Group II) died before recovering from the anesthetic. Of the 47 patients in Group II who survived, none had clinically apparent complications such as an epidural hematoma or meningitis from the intrathecal catheter. The mean aortic cross-clamp time was 58.6 ± 30.5 minutes (mean ± SD) in Group I versus 65 ± 42.6 minutes in Group II. Twenty-three patients in Group I and 16 patients in Group II had a shunt to the distal aorta. To maintain a CSF pressure of ≤15 mmHg in Group II, an average of 46.9 ± 6.9 mL of CSF was withdrawn. Of the 45 survivors in Group I, 4 developed a spinal cord deficit; the number of patients with spinal cord deficit in Group II was 4 out of the 47 who survived. It was found that CSF drainage was relatively safe, but the study was unable to demonstrate improved neurologic outcome for patients undergoing repair of descending thoracic and TAAA.