[Reconstructive surgery in 59-year-old patient with coarctation of aorta under the monitoring of somatosensory evoked potential and spinal cord perfusion pressure].

: Postoperative paraplegia is a relatively rare complication in reconstructive surgery for coarctation of the aorta and the operative treatment is usually performed without any adjuncts. A 59-year-old male patient underwent replacement of descending thoracic aorta with vascular prosthesis under the monitoring of SEP and spinal cord perfusion pressure (SCPP) [pressure difference between mean distal aortic pressure (MDAP) and the cerebrospinal fluid pressure (CSFP)]. During cross-clamping of the aorta, MDAP decreased from 61 to 40 mmHg and CSFP increased from 6 to 15 mmHg, SCPP was 25 mmHg, and the amplitude of the SEP waves rapidly decreased. As the ischemic changes of spinal cord were suspected, the aortic cross-clamping was released. The amplitude of SEP recovered to the preoperative level immediately after de-clamping. In order to prevent spinal cord ischemia, the partial cardio-pulmonary bypass was employed, and SCPP was maintained above 60 mmHg, so that SEP did not show any ischemic changes during cross-clamping of the aorta. The patient did not develop any neurological deficit postoperatively. The monitoring of SEP and SCPP appears to be useful for prevention of postoperative paraplegia in the surgical treatment for coarctation of the aorta.