Temporary worsening of kidney function following aortic reconstructive surgery

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Vascular Surgery
• Critical Care Medicine

Background:

• The incidence of temporary kidney dysfunction after major vascular surgeries remains poorly understood.
• Assessing the frequency of temporary decreased kidney function following aortic surgeries is crucial for patient outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To determine the frequency of temporary kidney dysfunction after elective open abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery.
• To investigate the association between temporary kidney dysfunction and short-term mortality.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 108 patient records undergoing elective open abdominal aortic aneurysm surgery.
• Collection and evaluation of estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) on postoperative days 1, 2, and 3.
• Definition of temporary kidney dysfunction as a >10% GFR decline on day 1 or 2, with recovery to within 10% of baseline by day 3.

Main Results:

• Temporary kidney dysfunction was observed in 23.6% of patients (25 out of 108).
• The short-term mortality rate was significantly higher in patients with temporary kidney dysfunction (44.0%) compared to those without (17.3%, P = .006).
• Temporary kidney dysfunction was identified as the sole predictor of mortality (Hazard Ratio = 4.03, P = .008).

Conclusions:

• Approximately one in four patients undergoing aortic surgery experiences temporary kidney dysfunction.
• This temporary kidney dysfunction, while often transient, is associated with an increased risk of short-term mortality.
• The findings highlight the importance of monitoring kidney function post-aortic surgery.