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The spinal cord is particularly susceptible to ischaemic injury following repair of extensive descending thoracic and thoracoabdominal aortic aneurysms (TAAA). For the past decade, the Mount Sinai group in New York has intensively studied the anatomy of the extensive vascular network surrounding the spinal cord, as well as its dynamic morphology in response to decreased blood pressure and flow. Along with clinical data, experimental findings gave rise to the Collateral Network Concept, by which spinal cord injury in open TAAA repair can be significantly reduced. With the more recent widespread use of endovascular repair, strategies to prevent ischaemic spinal cord damage after extensive segmental artery sacrifice/occlusion are still evolving. The hypothesis that dividing extensive aneurysm repair into two steps may mitigate the impact of diminished blood flow to the collateral network has led to a recently conducted series of staged repair experiments. By exploiting the resources of the collateral network, spinal cord injury could be minimised in staged open, as well as in staged hybrid repair and seems equally adoptable for endovascular procedures. The contribution presented herein provides an overview of clinical and experimental studies on the staged approach. Furthermore, it briefly assesses the anatomic rationale for the collateral network concept., (Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.)