Duration of aortic cross-clamping during elective open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair operations and postoperative...

To determine the effect of the duration of aortic cross-clamping during elective infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) repair operations on postoperative cardiac and renal function.

Fifty patients scheduled for open infrarenal AAA repair underwent pre- and postoperative evaluation of serum creatinine and troponin levels. The patients were divided into 2 groups according to the duration of aortic cross-clamping (Group A: <50 min; Group B: >50 min).

A prolonged (>50 min) duration of aortic cross-clamping was associated with an increase in post-operative serum troponin (P<0.001) and serum creatinine values (P<0.001). A prolonged duration of aortic cross-clamping was the only independent predictor of postoperative renal (r=0.534; P<0.001) and cardiac dysfunction (r=0.578; P<0.001).

Elective open infrarenal AAA repair procedures may be associated with mild/moderate cardiac and/or renal dysfunction, especially when aortic cross-clamping time is prolonged. Measuring serum troponin and creatinine levels before and after such operations may reveal an often clinically-silent post-operative cardiac and/or renal dysfunction.