Cardiac surgery for patients maintained on chronic hemodialysis

This study confirms and extends the available information about cardiac surgery in patients with chronic renal failure. With appropriate precautions, CABG and valve repair can be carried out in these patients without significant increase in operative mortality or morbidity as compared to patients with normal renal function. However, these patients remain susceptible to accelerated atherosclerosis in native vessels as well as bypass grafts and to complications (thromboembolism, infection) of prosthetic valves. Accordingly, while these patients are often significantly improved as a result of their cardiac surgery, long term outlook is guarded.