Postoperative renal failure

Acute renal failure (ARF) or acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common problem occurring in about 1% to 5% of all hospitalized patients. It leads to poor quality of life and increased length of stay (LOS), cost of care, morbidity, and mortality. The survival rate for ARF has not drastically changed over the past 4 decades because of the aging population and presence of multiple comorbid conditions. About 200 patients per million population develop severe ARF each year. Approximately one-third of these patients require ICU care. Recent studies have shown that even milder forms of renal dysfunction are associated with increased LOS and mortality.