Outcomes of a spinal drain and intraoperative neurophysiologic monitoring protocol in thoracic endovascular aortic repair

Adjuncts for early detection and treatment of spinal cord ischemia (SCI) in thoracic aortic surgery are supported by robust clinical experience in open repair. The utility of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drainage and neurophysiologic monitoring (NPM) in thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) is less clear. The purpose of this investigation was to determine the influence of a selective institutional spinal cord protection protocol using prophylactic NPM and CSF on outcomes for standard TEVAR.
Source: Annals of Vascular Surgery - Category: Surgery Authors: Tags: Clinical Research, Basic Science Source Type: research