Open-heart operations in patients with a spinal cord injury.

Background: The objective of our study was to evaluate the outcomes of open-heart surgery in patients with a spinal cord injury.

Methods: A retrospective analysis of all patients (n = 8) with a spinal cord injury who underwent open-heart operations in a single institution from April 1994 to November 2006 was conducted.

Results: All patients had a permanent spinal cord injury with levels ranging from T3 to L2 with a mean age of 62 years (range, 47-72).