Interact CardioVasc Thorac Surg 2008;7:148. doi:10.1510/icvts.2007.163261A
© 2008 European Association of Cardio-Thoracic Surgery
Features of the spinal cord collateral pathways in presence of pathology and opportunity of their usage during main stage of surgical procedure
Leo Bockeria and
Valeri Arakelyan
Bakoulev Scientific Center of Cardiovascular Surgery, 135 Roublevskoe Shosse, Moscow 121552, Russia
Spinal cord malperfusion caused by using the segmental clamp technique during descending aortic repair for chronic type B aortic dissection
We would like to show our appreciation to the authors for this up-to-date publication, and also for the openness and determination to discuss the negative results in a wide press [1].
The problem of paraparesis and paraplegia following surgical procedures on thoracic and thoracoabdominal aorta could not be limited to discussion of methods of intra-operative spinal cord defense (assisted circulation; mild hypothermia; CSF drainage; medical defense). Besides well known anatomic features of spinal cord blood circulations (variety of arteria radicularis magna (Adamkewicz) origin; inconstancy and intermittence of anterior spinal artery, limited number of radiculo-medullaris arteries and terminal branches of anterior spinal artery in diameter and intermittence of its pathway) in such patients we should also be aware of individual features (number of radiculo-medullaris arteries and placement of their origins, opulence of collateral spinal cord circulation pathway, length of aortic lesion; critical aortic zone blood supply features; suspected time of aortic clamping in the zone of ‘critical arteries’ origin).
We completely share the author's opinion in analysis of spinal stroke development in the patient in the first case history. Adequacy rate of the reasons analysis we were able to note in positive results of operative intervention in the second case history, in which the previous negative experience was considered. But we should note that the method of hypothermic circulatory arrest suggested by the authors has limits and high risk of complication development, particularly in patients with diffuse thoraco-abdominal aortic lesion.
We would like to congratulate the authors for the computed solution they found positive results in the second case history. Still it should be repeated that this problem could not be limited to discussion of the intra-operative methods of spinal cord defense. The more detailed analysis of anatomic and individual features of spinal cord blood circulation due to manifested possibilities of the preoperative diagnosis of spinal cord circulation by means of CT and MRT should be performed. Such a detailed analysis allow to evaluate the existence of spinal stroke risks, review features of the spinal cord collateral pathways in presence of pathology and opportunity of their usage during main stage of surgical procedure.
In connection with the above-stated information we are to come back to discussion of anatomic features of spinal cord blood circulation and to bring to your attention the review on the given subject.
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- Kawamura M, Ogino H, Sasaki H, Matsuda H, Minatoya K, Tanaka H, Kitamura S. Spinal cord malperfusion caused by using the segmental clamp technique during descending aortic repair for chronic type B aortic dissection. Interact CardioVasc Thorac Surg 2008; 7:146–148.[Abstract/Free Full Text]
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Spinal cord malperfusion caused by using the segmental clamp technique during descending aortic repair for chronic type B aortic dissection
- Masashi Kawamura, Hitoshi Ogino, Hiroaki Sasaki, Hitoshi Matsuda, Kenji Minatoya, Hiroshi Tanaka, and Soichiro Kitamura
Interactive CardioVascular and Thoracic Surgery 2008 7: 146-148.
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