Blood supply and vascular reactivity of the spinal cord under normal and pathological conditions

Document Type

Article

Abstract

The authors present a review of spinal cord blood supply, discussing the anatomy of the vascular system and physiological aspects of blood flow regulation in normal and injured spinal cords. Unique anatomical functional properties of vessels and blood supply determine the susceptibility of the spinal cord to damage, especially ischemia. Spinal cord injury (SCI), for example, complicating thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysm repair is associated with ischemic trauma. The rate of this devastating complication has been decreased significantly by instituting physiological methods of protection. Traumatic SCI causes complex changes in spinal cord blood flow, which are closely related to the severity of injury. Manipulating physiological parameters such as mean arterial blood pressure and intrathecal pressure may be beneficial for patients with an SCI. Studying the physiopathological processes of the spinal cord under vascular compromise remains challenging because of its central role in almost all of the body's hemodynamic and neurofunctional processes.

Medical Subject Headings

Animals; Aortic Aneurysm, Abdominal (surgery); Aortic Aneurysm, Thoracic (surgery); Blood Pressure; Blood Vessels (anatomy & histology, pathology, physiology, physiopathology); Constriction; Humans; Regional Blood Flow; Spinal Cord (blood supply); Spinal Cord Diseases (physiopathology); Spinal Cord Injuries (etiology, physiopathology, therapy); Spinal Cord Ischemia (etiology); Vascular Surgical Procedures (adverse effects)

Publication Date

9-1-2011

Publication Title

Journal of neurosurgery. Spine

E-ISSN

1547-5646

Volume

15

Issue

3

First Page

238

Last Page

51

PubMed ID

21663407

Digital Object Identifier (DOI)

10.3171/2011.4.SPINE10543

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