Protocol implementation of selective postoperative lumbar spinal drainage after thoracic aortic endograft.

Background: Spinal cord ischemia (SCI) remains a significant concern in patients undergoing endovascular repair involving the thoracic aorta (thoracic endovascular aortic repair [TEVAR]). Perioperative lumbar spinal drainage has been widely practiced for open repair, but there is no consensus treatment protocol using lumbar drainage for SCI associated with TEVAR. This study analyzes the efficacy of an institutional protocol using selective lumbar drainage reserved for patients experiencing SCI following TEVAR.