Standardized multidisciplinary spinal cord protection strategies reduce spinal cord injury during perioperative period of aortic surgery: an 8-year retrospective analysis / 中华危重病急救医学

ABSTRACT

Objective To observe the incidence of spinal cord injury (SCI) following aortic surgery in Fuwai Hospital of Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, and evaluate the effect of standardized multidisciplinary spinal cord protection strategies, to summarize the experience in the prevention and treatment of SCI at perioperative period of aortic surgery. Methods The clinical data of patients underwent aortic surgery admitted to vascular center of Fuwai Hospital from January 2011 to December 2018 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients receiving traditional spinal cord protection strategies from January 2011 to December 2016 were defined as the control group, while the patients receiving standardized multidisciplinary spinal cord protection strategies from January 2017 to December 2018 were defined as the standardized treatment group. The standardized multidisciplinary treatment included preoperative cerebrospinal fluid drainage (CSFD), respiratory tract management, and maintenance of effective circulation of the lowest venous pressure; at the same time, anticoagulation, glucocorticoid, improve microcirculation, scavenge oxygen free radicals and other adjuvant treatments were started, and nerve function was monitored to prevent complications. The changes in SCI incidence after aortic surgery between the two groups were observed in order to evaluate the effect of standardized multidisciplinary spinal cord protection strategies. Meanwhile, the types of SCI after operation and the safety of CSFD were analyzed. Results During the 8-year period, 7 724 patients underwent aortic surgery at vascular center of Fuwai Hospital, 64 of which suffered from SCI after aortic surgery with total incidence of 0.83%. The onset of SCI was immediate in 39 patients (60.94%) and was delayed in 25 patients (39.06%), more than half of patients were immediate SCI. Of 64 patients with SCI, 52 patients (81.25%) underwent paraplegia and 12 (18.75%) underwent paraparesis. SCI persisted beyond discharge in 38 patients (59.38%) and 25 patients (39.06%) fully or partly recovered form SCI. One patient (1.56%) died. Compared with the control group, the incidence of SCI was decreased significantly after application of standardized multidisciplinary spinal cord protection strategies. The total incidence of SCI after aortic surgery was decreased from 1.06% (52/4 893) to 0.42% (12/2 831), the incidence after aortic arch replacement under deep hypothermic circulatory arrest was decreased from 3.66% (40/1 092) to 1.11% (5/450), and the incidence after thoraco-abdominal aortic replacement was decreased from 9.40% (11/117) to 2.47% (2/81) with statistically significant difference (all P < 0.05). Perioperative CSFD analysis showed that the incidence of CSFD-related complications was low, the overall incidence was 5.45% (3/55), including 1 patient of cerebrospinal fluid leakage, 2 patients of blood cerebrospinal fluid. No serious complications such as hemorrhage and infection of central nervous system occurred. Conclusions The main type of SCI after aortic surgery was immediate, about 39% SCI patients fully or partly recovered. Standardized multidisciplinary spinal cord protection strategies which included preoperative CSFD, reduced incidence of SCI after aortic surgery. The incidence of CSFD-related complications was low, which was safe and effective.