HEMODYNAMIC-ALTERATIONS IN THE PARAVERTEBRAL VENOUS PLEXUS AFTER SPINAL-INJURY

PURPOSE: To assess the prevalence of altered venous hemodynamics after spinal cord injury. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The authors performed veno graphy in 200 ambulant patients and 107 patients with spinal injury. T he hemodynamic characteristics of the paravertebral venous plexus were documented after pedal injection of contrast material. The hemodynami c and clinical data were correlated in patients with spinal cord injur y. RESULTS: Abnormal venous return via the paravertebral Venous plexus in the absence of iliac or inferior vena caval occlusion was shown in 73 (68%) of the 107 patients with spinal injury. This paravertebral v enous flow route is not related to the time between injury and examina tion. It was demonstrable in the early as well as late posttraumatic p eriod and was reproducible at subsequent examinations. The paravertebr al venous flow route was more commonly seen in cervical than thoracolu mbar injuries and was closely related to the severity of neurologic de ficit (P = .0012). CONCLUSION: Abnormal vertebral venous hemodynamics occur in most patients with spinal cord injury and are more likely to occur in patients with complete neurologic deficit and cervical injury .