Objectives: Spinal cord protection during thoracoabdominal aortic surgery is challenging for surgeons. We performed thoracoabdominal replacement using a strategy for maintaining spinal cord perfusion pressure. Here, we report our experience with this procedure and the surgical outcomes.
Methods: Between January 2000 and December 2014, 130 patients [male: 91 (74.6%), female: 39 (25.4%); mean age: 66.6 ± 12.8 years] underwent thoracoabdominal replacement using cardiopulmonary bypass at Hiroshima Shimin Hospital, Japan. The surgical outcomes of these patients were analysed.
Results: The in-hospital mortality rate of all patients was 2.5%. The incidence of postoperative paraplegia was 3.8%. Aortic event-free survival rates at 1, 3 and 5 years were 98.2%, 93.9% and 80.7%, respectively.
Conclusions: The present study suggests that our strategy for maintaining spinal cord perfusion pressure provides acceptable outcomes.
Keywords: Intercostal artery reconstruction; Paraplegia; Spinal ischaemia; Thoracoabdominal replacement.
© The Author 2017. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Association for Cardio-Thoracic Surgery. All rights reserved.