Delayed Paraplegia Triggered by Gastrointestinal Bleeding 8 Months after TEVAR: Persistent Vulnerability of Spinal Cord

Abstract

We report a rare case of delayed paraplegia triggered by gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding 8 months after thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR). A 78-year-old male underwent TEVAR of a descending thoracic aortic aneurysm without a postoperative neurological deficit and was discharged. Magnetic resonance image showed spinal cord infarction from Th8 to L1, and enhanced computed tomography showed a patent Adamkiewicz artery. The ostium of the intercostal artery connected with the Adamkiewicz artery was occluded. Patients with a history of TEVAR might be more vulnerable to spinal cord ischemia around the Adamkiewicz artery, which can be triggered by common hemorrhagic diseases, such as GI bleeding, even remote from the procedure.