title: [Paraplegia secondary to surgery of the abdominal aorta].
abstract: We report the case of an 84 year-old man who suffered of paraplegia after surgery of an abdominal aortic aneurysm. The neurologic status did not improve during 5 years of follow-up. This complication is rare in light of the review of the literature. It is more frequent after emergency (1.4%) and redux (19%) surgery than after elective surgery (1.1%). Its mechanisms are anatomic (occlusion of the Adamkievitz artery and of the pelvic collateral arteries) and hemodynamic mechanisms (thromboembolism, low systemic tension, long supra-renal clamping). Since pre-operative aortography to detect anatomic variations is not realistic, its only prevention remains maintenance of intra-operative hemodynamic, systemic heparinization, and preservation of the pelvic collateral circulation.
authors.affiliation: Service de chirurgie Cardio-Vasculaire, Les Hopitaux Universitaires de Strasbourg.
authors.forename: P
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Clavert
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Chakfé
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Edah-Tally
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Beaufigeau
authors.forename: O
authors.initials: O
authors.lastname: Hassani
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Thaveau
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Kahn
authors.forename: J G
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Kretz
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000209:etiology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications