PURPOSE: Postoperative spinal cord injury is a devastating complication after aortic arch replacement. The purpose of this study was to determine the predictors of this complication. METHODS: A group of 254 consecutive patients undergoing aortic arch replacement via median sternotomy, with (n = 78) or without (n = 176) extended replacement of the upper descending aorta, were included in a risk analysis. The frozen elephant trunk technique was used in 46 patients. The patients' atherothrombotic lesions (extensive intimal thickening of > 4 mm) were identified from computed tomography images. RESULTS: Complete paraplegia (n = 7) and incomplete paraparesis (n = 4) occurred immediately after the operation (permanent spinal cord injury rate, 1.97%; transient spinal cord injury rate, 2.36%). A multivariable logistic regression analysis identified the use of the frozen elephant trunk technique (odds ratio 36.3), previous repair of thoracoabdominal aorta or descending aorta (odds ratio 29.4), proximal atherothrombotic aorta (odds ratio 9.6), chronic obstructive lung disease (odds ratio 7.1) and old age (odds ratio 1.1) as predictors of spinal cord injury (p < 0.0001, area under curve 0.93). CONCLUSIONS: Spinal cord injury occurs with a non-negligible incidence following aortic arch replacement. The full objective assessment of the morphology of the whole aorta and the recognition of the risk factors are mandatory.
PURPOSE: Postoperative spinal cord injury is a devastating complication after aortic arch replacement. The purpose of this study was to determine the predictors of this complication. METHODS: A group of 254 consecutive patients undergoing aortic arch replacement via median sternotomy, with (n = 78) or without (n = 176) extended replacement of the upper descending aorta, were included in a risk analysis. The frozen elephant trunk technique was used in 46 patients. The patients' atherothrombotic lesions (extensive intimal thickening of > 4 mm) were identified from computed tomography images. RESULTS: Complete paraplegia (n = 7) and incomplete paraparesis (n = 4) occurred immediately after the operation (permanent spinal cord injury rate, 1.97%; transient spinal cord injury rate, 2.36%). A multivariable logistic regression analysis identified the use of the frozen elephant trunk technique (odds ratio 36.3), previous repair of thoracoabdominal aorta or descending aorta (odds ratio 29.4), proximal atherothrombotic aorta (odds ratio 9.6), chronic obstructive lung disease (odds ratio 7.1) and old age (odds ratio 1.1) as predictors of spinal cord injury (p < 0.0001, area under curve 0.93). CONCLUSIONS:Spinal cord injury occurs with a non-negligible incidence following aortic arch replacement. The full objective assessment of the morphology of the whole aorta and the recognition of the risk factors are mandatory.
Authors: J S Coselli; S A LeMaire; C C Miller; Z C Schmittling; C Köksoy; J Pagan; P E Curling Journal: Ann Thorac Surg Date: 2000-02 Impact factor: 4.330
Authors: I Vogiatzis; S Zakynthinos; O Georgiadou; S Golemati; A Pedotti; P T Macklem; C Roussos; A Aliverti Journal: Eur J Appl Physiol Date: 2006-12-06 Impact factor: 3.078
Authors: Vikram Kurra; Michael L Lieber; Srikanth Sola; Vidyasagar Kalahasti; Donald Hammer; Stephen Gimple; Scott D Flamm; Michael A Bolen; Sandra S Halliburton; Tomislav Mihaljevic; Milind Y Desai; Paul Schoenhagen Journal: JACC Cardiovasc Imaging Date: 2010-10