J.Jpn. Surg. Soc.. 55(2): 105-119, 1954

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Original article

THE HIND-LIMB PARALYSIS DEVELOPED AFTER THE TEMPORARY OBSTRUCTION OF AORTA

The predominating postoperative complication encountered on the way of the foundamental experimental research for surgical procedures on the thoracic aorta, was that most animal developed the paralysis of the posterior part of the body after the temporary crossclamping on the thoracic aorta was continued for above 30 minutes just distal to the origin of the left subclavian artery.
In the first place the author studied on the mechanism in that the paralysis was developed and the relation the period for the obstruction and the development of the paralysis.……… (1st Part)
In the second place we devised the preventive against this inevitable complication for operative procedures on aorta.……… (2nd Part)
Only the result of the study of 1st Part is going to be reported here due to the limitation of papers.
1) The result of histopathological studies by Nissle's carbol-thionin ganglionic cell and Pal-Weigert medullary sheath staining methods of the spinal cord of those animals after varying survival days whose thoracic aortas were obstructed for the various periods (60 from 5 minutes), are as follows:
In gray matters, the diffuse anoxic degeneration of ganglionic cells are observed in caudal portion from 7th, 8th, or 9th of thoracic segment, the lower in the cord, the more severer it becomes.
In white matters, Wallerian degenation of nerve fibers originating degenerated cells mentioned above, are observed in the entire length of spinal cords.
Accordingly it was concluded that the development of the paralysis depended on some cord damage by means of oligamia of radicular arteries as the nutritive vessels, occurred by diminished blood-flow in aorta.
2) It was made evident in the observation of effects of temporary obstruction of aorta a given number of minutes, especially in relation to development of hind-leg paralysis, that the paralysis was developed in adult dogs after the obstruction for above to 20 from 15 minutes, when 1st and 2nd intercostal arteries were doubly ligated and divided, that there, however, were some causes that extend the time limit which does not develop the complication as follow :
1. When animals are young, less than 6 months old, espescially.
2. Either when atmospheric temperature are lower than usual, below 5°C , or the body of animal are made cool, the time limit is not only extended for 10 or 15 minutes, but they obtain increased resistance against the operative procedure.
3. Either when animals are in lactation period or immediately after the period.
3) It was made evident in observation of the limit of the times in relation to the situ of obstruction, there was no difference in thoracic aorta below the origin of the left subclavian artery, but there was remarkable difference in the abdominal aorta below the diaphragm from the thoracic aorta.
(author's abstract)

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