Descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aneurysm.

: The low incidence of permanent spinal cord injury in our most recent cohort (Group II) of patients suggests that serial sacrifice of intersegmental vessels, careful monitoring of spinal cord function are effective in preventing paraplegia after descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aneurysm operations. Updated anesthetic and postoperative care minimized overall mortality risk. (Ref. 9.)