Hypothermic Cardiopulmonary Bypass for Spinal Cord Protection: Rationale and Clinical Results
Nicholas T. Kouchoukos, and Chris K. Rokkas
The Society of Thoracic Surgeons, 1999
During a 12-year period, 114 patients with descending thoracic or thoracoabdominal aortic disease underwent replacement of the involved aortic segments using hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass and intervals of circulatory arrest. The hospital mortality was 8% (9 patients). Paraplegia occurred in 2 and paraparesis in 1 of the 108 patients whose lower limb function was assessed postoperatively (2.8%). None of 40 patients with aortic dissection and none of the last 81 patients in the series developed paralysis. hypothermic cardiopulmonary bypass and circulatory arrest confirms that hypothermia provides substantial protection against paraplegia.