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Spinal Cord Infarcts: Risk Factors, Management, and Prognosis

  • Cerebrovascular Disorders (DG Jamieson, Section Editor)
  • Published:
Current Treatment Options in Neurology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Opinion statement

There are no standard guidelines for treatment of spinal cord ischemia due to how rare it is and the diverse etiology and presentations involved. In addition, to date, there have been no large clinical trials examining ideal pharmacologic treatment options for spinal cord infarct. In our practice, we rely on hemodynamic augmentation initiated as soon as possible. Otherwise, treatment is usually geared towards the etiology of spinal cord ischemia. For instance, spinal cord ischemia occurring after aortic aneurysmal repair may improve with CSF drainage through a lumbar catheter in the periprocedural setting. Vertebral artery dissection should be treated with antithrombotics. If no clear etiology is found and there is evidence of atherosclerosis in other vascular beds, then management is focused on risk factor modification with blood pressure and glucose control, statins, and antithrombotics.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    Deena M. Nasr DO

  2. Division of Critical Care Neurology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 55905, USA

    Alejandro Rabinstein MD

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Correspondence to Deena M. Nasr DO.

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This article is part of the Topical Collection on Cerebrovascular Disorders

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Nasr, D.M., Rabinstein, A. Spinal Cord Infarcts: Risk Factors, Management, and Prognosis. Curr Treat Options Neurol 19, 28 (2017). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11940-017-0464-3

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