Plotkin A, Han SM, Weaver FA, et al. - Via performing retrospective analysis of institutional database, researchers here investigated the complications linked with perioperative lumbar drain (LD) placement for endovascular aortic repair. From 2010-2019, they identified 309 LD placed in 268 consecutive patients for 222 TEVAR, 85 complex EVAR (F-BEVAR/parallel grafting), and 2 EVAR (65±13 years, 71% male) for aortic pathology including 47% aneurysm, 49% dissection, 3% penetrating aortic ulcer, and 0.6% traumatic injury. Occurrence of lumbar drain-associated complications, excluding isolated headaches, was reported in 8.1% of placements, 4.2% had major complications and 3.9% had minor complications only. More major complications were encountered among patients with prior lumbar drain placement, however, there was no difference in complications between prophylactic and therapeutic drain placement. Overall findings suggest protective effect of lumbar drain placement against spinal cord ischemia in endovascular aortic repair; however, consideration and recognition of lumbar drain-associated complications is paramount as they are neither infrequent nor inconsequential.