Measurements of cerebrospinal fluid concentrations of S100beta protein during and after thoracic endovascular stent grafting.

OBJECTIVES

Thoracic endovascular aortic repair is associated with postoperative spinal cord ischemia in approximately 1 to 12.5% of all cases. S100beta is a protein that is released during acute damage of the central nervous system. This study was performed to determine the concentration of S100beta in cerebrospinal fluid during and after stenting of the thoracic aorta in patients at high risk for spinal cord ischemia.

DESIGN

Prospective clinical study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eight patients who underwent elective thoracic aortic stent grafting underwent lumbar spinal fluid drainage. These patients were at high risk to develop spinal cord ischemia.

METHODS

CSF samples for analysis of S100beta protein were drawn after induction of anesthesia, during stenting, once every hour the following six hours and 20 hours after repair.

RESULTS

No significant increase in S100beta protein could be detected in CSF and no neurological deficits were detected postoperatively.

CONCLUSIONS

The results of this study show us that there is no significant release of S100beta protein in CSF during stenting of the thoracic aorta in this subgroup of patients at high risk for spinal cord ischemia, consistent with clinical exam that there was no significant damage to the central nervous system.