Acute renal failure: an important complication of cardiac surgery in infants

Acute renal failure occurred in association with cardiac surgery in 20 of 248 infants (8%). Hypotension, poor tissue perfusion, and hypoglycemia were the most important factors recognized in the pathogenesis and outcome of the ARF. However, many infants were extremely ill preoperatively. The most frequent operative procedures performed in the 20 patients were open-heart surgery with total correction under deep hypothermia and repair of coarctation of the aorta. Thirteen of the 20 infants with ARF died. The combination of a major operative procedure, cardiac failure, hypoglycemia, hypotension, and compromised renal function imposes important constraints in the treatment of hyperkalemia, hypoglycemia, correction of acid-base distrubances, and the administration of fluids.