Risk of Mortality After Resolution of Spinal Malperfusion in Acute Dissection

Spinal cord ischemia (SCI) may develop in patients presenting with acute aortic dissection. We sought to determine how SCI and its recovery affect outcomes.

We reviewed patients with SCI in acute type A aortic dissection (ATAAD) and acute type B aortic dissection (ATBAD) from September 1999 to May 2014. SCI was defined as paraplegia or paraparesis present on admission. Monoparesis/plegia, paraesthesia, or numbness was defined as ischemic neuropathy. All ATBAD patients were managed with antiimpulse therapy, with selective intervention for rupture, rapid aortic expansion, malperfusion, or intractable pain. ATAAD patients were managed with urgent proximal aortic replacement.

Neurologic symptoms were present in 178 (18.2%) of 978 acute dissections (482 ATAAD and 496 ATBAD). Of these 178 patients, SCI presented in 52 patients (29.2%; 80.1% male; mean age, 57 years). On admission paraplegia was present in 24 (46.2%), paraparesis in 10 (19.2%), paresthesia/numbness in 27 (51.9%), and leg ischemia in 25 (48.1%). Aortic operations were performed in 27 SCI patients (51.9%). Symptom resolution was seen in 30 (57.7%). The 30-day mortality was 19.2% and was significantly less in those with resolution of SCI (6.7% vs 36.4%, p = 0.012). When surgical intervention was required in ATBAD with SCI, mortality was 50% (p = 0.039). SCI and symptom resolution significantly affected overall survival. SCI is associated with significantly increased risk of overall mortality (hazard ratio, 2.9; p < 0.001), and SCI resolution completely offsets this risk (hazard ratio, 0.28; p = 0.003). These effects were consistent between ATAAD and ATBAD (p = 0.554).

SCI in acute aortic dissection portends a poor prognosis. However, reversal of deficits is associated with a long-term survival outcome comparable to patients unaffected with SCI.