Reversal of twice-delayed neurologic deficits with cerebrospinal fluid drainage after thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair: A case report and plea for a national database collection

Delayed neurologic deficits are an uncommon yet devastating complication of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair, The mechanisms involved in the de velopment of delayed spinal cord ischemia remain ill defined, We report a c ase of complete reversal of delayed neurologic deficits with postoperative cerebrospinal fluid (CSP) drainage. After a thoracoabdominal aneurysm exten t I repair, the patient experienced delayed paraplegia at 6 hours. and agai n at 34 hours after the operation, with. elevated CSP pressure (>10 mm Hg) on both occasions. Prompt CSF decompression completely reversed the neurolo gic deficits within hours after onset, The findings in this case further su pport the role of CSF drainage in spinal cord protection for patients who u ndergo thoracoabdominal aneurysm repair and make a plea for a national data base collection.