title: Preoperative and operative predictors of delayed neurologic deficit following repair of thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Delayed neurologic deficit has been recognized in recent years as a source of morbidity following thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic repair. We wanted to find risk factors specifically significant for delayed neurologic deficit. In this initial study we looked at preoperative and operative risk factors.
  
  
  METHODS
  We performed 854 thoracoabdominal aortic repairs between February 1991 and May 2001. For this study we excluded 26 patients who died before postoperative neurologic status could be evaluated and 38 who had immediate neurologic deficit on initial postoperative evaluation, leaving 790 consecutive patients. We evaluated a wide range of demographic, preoperative physiological and intraoperative data, using univariate and multivariable statistical analyses.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Twenty-one of 790 (2.7%) patients had delayed neurologic deficit. Significant univariate predictors included preoperative renal dysfunction (odds ratio 5.9; P <.006), acute dissection (odds ratio 3.9; P <.05), extent II thoracoabdominal aorta (odds ratio 3.0; P <.03), and use of adjuncts (cerebrospinal fluid drainage and distal aortic perfusion; odds ratio 7.7; P <.03). The use of the adjuncts dropped from the multivariable model but all other factors remained. No other significant risk factors were identified. Twelve of 21 (57%) patients recovered neurologic function with optimization of blood pressure and cerebrospinal fluid drainage.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Preoperative renal dysfunction, acute dissection, and extent II thoracoabdominal aorta are significant predictors of delayed neurologic deficit. Previous studies have demonstrated that the use of adjuncts protects against immediate neurologic deficit. The findings of this study are consistent with the hypothesis that adjuncts reduce ischemic insult enough to prevent immediate neurologic deficit but that a period of increased spinal cord vulnerability persists several days postoperatively.
authors.affiliation: Department of Cardiothoracic and Vascular Surgery, University of Texas at Houston Medical School, 77030, USA.
authors.forename: Anthony L
authors.initials: AL
authors.lastname: Estrera
authors.forename: Charles C
authors.initials: CC
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Tam T T
authors.initials: TT
authors.lastname: Huynh
authors.forename: Ali
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Azizzadeh
authors.forename: Eyal E
authors.initials: EE
authors.lastname: Porat
authors.forename: Anders
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Vinnerkvist
authors.forename: Craig
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ignacio
authors.forename: Roy
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sheinbaum
authors.forename: Hazim J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Safi
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000704:Analysis of Variance; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D017545:Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic / Q000601:surgery*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D002648:Child; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D016015:Logistic Models; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009422:Nervous System Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000209:etiology*; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000453:epidemiology; D011184:Postoperative Period; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011300:Preoperative Care; D011336:Probability; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D013997:Time Factors; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D014656:Vascular Surgical Procedures / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods