Preservation of spinal cord integrity during thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair surgery: anesthetic and surgical aspects

ABSTRACT

This article aims at presenting the anesthetic and surgical techniques used to preserve spinal cord integrity during thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm (ΤΑΑΑ – ThoracoAbdominal Aortic Aneurysm) repair operations. The understanding of the pathophysiology of ischemic insult to the spinal cord is considered fundamental in order to choose monitoring and anesthetic techniques during surgical repair of TAAA with or without clamping and when using intravascular stents. The clinical validity of available monitoring modes will also be discussed in accordance with the different aspects of surgical and anesthetic management of intravascular repair as well as the partial bypass maneuver during open surgical repair of TAAA.