Extensive aortic aneurysms represent a unique challenge necessitating interdisciplinary efforts for safe and effective treatment. Despite various adjunctive neuroprotective strategies, ischemic spinal cord injury remains a devastating complication. This article describes the implementation of collateral network near-infrared spectroscopy as the first noninvasive spinal cord monitoring modality in the setting of extensive open and endovascular aortic repair, from early conceptualization to clinical utilization. Potential capabilities and remaining uncertainties based on current evidence are outlined and discussed.
The Author(s). This is an open access article published by Thieme under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License, permitting unrestricted use, distribution, and reproduction so long as the original work is properly cited. (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).