title: Delayed paraplegia following infrarenal abdominal aortic endograft placement: case report and literature review.
abstract: The treatment of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs) has changed over the past 12 years, with increased numbers of endovascular procedures being performed. Early morbidity is decreased following endovascular abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (EVAR) compared with open repair, and long-term studies of EVAR have focused on freedom from death, rupture, and conversion to open repair. Other less commonly encountered complications of EVAR are rarely reported. For instance, spinal cord ischemia (SCI) is a devastating complication infrequently seen after open AAA repair. This report discusses a case of delayed paraplegia after EVAR and reviews the pertinent literature. The incidence of SCI after EVAR is similar to open repair, but the mechanisms may be different. Atheroembolization and occlusion of pelvic inflow appear to be the predominant etiologies for SCI after EVAR. Careful consideration of the potential for SCI should be made in elderly patients undergoing EVAR, particularly if difficult arterial anatomy is present.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio, San Antonio, TX, USA.
authors.forename: Daniel L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Fortes
authors.forename: B Zane
authors.initials: BZ
authors.lastname: Atkins
authors.forename: Andy C
authors.initials: AC
authors.lastname: Chiou
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D017544:Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal / Q000601:surgery*; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010264:Paraplegia / Q000209:etiology*; D020760:Spinal Cord Ischemia / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000209:etiology