Paraplegia following elective endovascular repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm: reversal with cerebrospinal fluid drainage.

Abstract

Paraplegia secondary to spinal cord ischaemia is a rare but devastating complication of abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. We report a case of paraplegia following elective endovascular repair of an infrarenal aortic aneurysm. A cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) drain was immediately inserted and resulted in full neurological recovery. This case highlights the fact that endovascular techniques are prone to similar complications as open surgery, and the importance of prompt cerebrospinal fluid drainage in cases of spinal cord ischaemia.