The most frequent source of spinal cord ischemia after thoracic aortic surgery is?

In the context of thoracic aortic surgery, paraplegia is indeed a significant concern that can arise due to spinal cord ischemia. During this type of surgery, there is often a risk of compromising blood flow to the spinal cord, particularly if the aorta is cross-clamped and blood supply to the arteries that perfuse the spinal cord is interrupted. This lack of perfusion can lead to ischemia, which in turn can cause paraplegia, a condition characterized by the loss of function in the lower extremities.

This phenomenon occurs as the blood supply to the anterior spinal artery, or the arteries that branch off from the aorta and supply the spinal cord, is disrupted. As a result, paraplegia becomes one of the most frequent and severe complications following such surgeries, due to the direct impact of ischemia on the spinal cord's ability to function normally.

In contrast, other factors such as hemorrhage, thrombosis, and infection, while possible complications, do not have the same direct and acute impact on spinal cord blood flow as ischemia does in the context of thoracic aortic procedures. Hemorrhage could lead to other complications but does not specifically address spinal cord ischemia in the same way. Thrombosis is