Surgical repair of thoracic aorta can compromise blood flow of the spinal cord. To mitigate spinal cord ischemia (SCI) additional protection methods are needed. In experimental studies remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) has proven to be an effective method of protecting organs from ischemia. The aim of the study was to assess efficacy of RIPC in spinal cord protection in a chronic porcine model. Sixteen piglets were assigned into the RIPC group (8) and the control group (8). RIPC was performed using blood pressure cuff in a 5-minute ischemia followed by a 5-minute reperfusion repeating cycles 4 times. The left subclavian artery and all segmental arteries above diaphragm were ligated at 5-minute intervals to accomplish SCI. The follow-up comprised a 4-hour intensive monitoring and a 7-day recovery phase. Blood samples were obtained, motor-evoked potentials and near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) of longitudinal back muscles were measured. Paraplegia was assessed every day postoperatively. Histopathological analysis of the spinal cord was performed after 7 days. NIRS values 4 hours after SCI were higher in the RIPC group, 45.5 (44.5-47.0), than in the control group, 41.5 (40.5-44.0) (P = 0.042). Nadir value of NIRS was 43.4 (39.3-46.0) in the RIPC group and 38.9 (38.-40.0) in the control group (P = 0.014). On the first postoperative day the RIPC group reached modified Tarlov score of 3 (2-3) vs 2 (1-2) in the control group (P = 0.024). RIPC hastens the recovery from SCI during the first postoperative day.
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