Spinal ischemia following abdominal aortic surgery.

Serious spinal cord ischemia may follow infrarenal abdominal aortic surgery. Five cases are summarized and added to the 23 previously published cases in order to identify this syndrome, emphasize its importance, and draw attention to the possibility of spontaneous recovery which may occur. The multifactorial complex which comprises each patient's clinical picture clouds a precise and specific cause for paraplegia in these cases. However, neither hypotension, steal phenomena nor emboli are necessary for completion of the syndrome. The relevant spinal cord arterial anatomy indicates that the common anomalies which occur favor development of spinal cord ischemia in the arteriosclerotic population which requires aortic surgery. No means of prevention is possible at this time.