How to prevent and treat spinal cord ischemia

  Spinal cord ischemia is a potentially more serious complication of endoluminal repair of aortic disease, which can lead to paraplegia.  Risk factors include: 1. lesions at the level of thoracic 8 to lumbar 1, overlying stent covering the intercostal artery or lumbar artery at the level of thoracic 8 to lumbar 1; 2. patients who have had abdominal aortic replacement or abdominal aortic endoluminal repair followed by thoracic aortic endoluminal repair or patients who have had thoracic aortic replacement or thoracic aortic endoluminal repair followed by abdominal aortic endoluminal repair; 3. more severe systemic atherosclerosis; 4. 4, implantation of a long segment of overlapping stent, such as from the left subclavian artery to the level of the abdominal trunk.  5, intraoperative mean arterial pressure less than 70 mmHg. Prevention of spinal cord ischemia: 1, intraoperative maintenance of high mean arterial pressure; 2, use of local anesthesia and constant observation of lower extremity activity; 3, cerebrospinal fluid drainage for high-risk patients.  Manifestation of spinal cord ischemia: It may manifest as paraplegia or mild paralysis of lower limbs. It can occur intraoperatively or late postoperatively.  Treatment of spinal cord ischemia: Once detected, cerebrospinal fluid drainage is the best treatment procedure. A drainage tube is usually placed at the level of lumbar 3 or 4, maintaining a pressure of 15 mmHg and continuous drainage.