Paraplegia after aortic and superior mesenteric artery stenting for occlusive disease.

Paraplegia after endovascular therapy for aortic and visceral artery occlusive disease is an extremely uncommon occurrence. Two cases of paraplegia after placement of an aortic covered stent for infrarenal aortic stenosis and a superior mesenteric artery stent for chronic visceral ischemia are presented. In both patients, embolization of the arterial supply to the spinal cord was the presumed cause. One patient had a slight recovery after intense physical therapy and rehabilitation. The second patient did not have any recovery from her paraplegia.