title: Effects of prostacyclin on spinal cord ischemia: an experimental study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Paraplegia after thoracic aortic aneurysm has an incidence of 2.2% to 24%. This study was planned to show the beneficial effects of prostacyclin on spinal cord ischemia.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twelve rabbits underwent 30 minutes of aortic occlusion. Six rabbits received prostacyclin, whereas the remaining rabbits did not. Prostacyclin administration was started with a rate of 5 ng/kg/min 5 minutes before aortic occlusion. This dosage was increased to 25 ng/kg/min during aortic occlusion. Prostacyclin administration after aortic occlusion was maintained for a period of 5 minutes. During this period, prostacyclin dosage was 5 ng/kg/min.
  
  
  RESULTS
  One rabbit in the prostacyclin group and five rabbits in the control group were paraplegic. Arterial pressure proximal to the clamp was 65 +/- 7 mm Hg before aortic occlusion and 78 +/- 10 mm Hg during aortic occlusion in the control group and 68 +/- 12 mm Hg before aortic occlusion and 65 +/- 6 mm Hg during aortic occlusion in the prostacyclin group. Arterial pressure distal to the clamp was 11 +/- 4 mm Hg during aortic occlusion in the control group and 18 +/- 5 mm Hg during aortic occlusion in the prostacyclin group (p = 0.02).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Intravenous prostacyclin reduced the neurologic injury caused by spinal cord ischemia and reperfusion after 30 minutes of aortic occlusion in the rabbit model.
authors.affiliation: Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic, Türkiye Yüksek Ihtisas Hospital, Ankara.
authors.forename: S F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Katircioğlu
authors.forename: D S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Küçükaksu
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Küplülü
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vural
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Bayazit
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Taşdemir
authors.forename: K
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Bayazit
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001011:Aorta; D001794:Blood Pressure / Q000187:drug effects; D003250:Constriction; D011464:Epoprostenol / Q000494:pharmacology*; D007511:Ischemia / Q000209:etiology / Q000503:physiopathology*; D008297:Male; D010243:Paralysis / Q000209:etiology; D011817:Rabbits; D012016:Reference Values; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000098:blood supply*
chemical_list: D011464:Epoprostenol