Contrast induced nephropathy in vascular surgery

Contrast induced nephropathy (CIN) is traditionally associated with outpatient imaging studies. More recently, patients afflicted with vascular pathologies are increasingly undergoing endovascular treatments that require the use of iodinated contrast media (CM) agents, thus placing them as risk of developing CIN. As perioperative physicians, anaesthetists should be aware of the risk factors and measures that might minimize acute kidney injury caused by CM. This review evaluates recent data regarding preventive measures against CIN and where possible, places the evidence in the context of the patient receiving endovascular surgical treatment. Measures including the use of peri-procedural hydration, N-acetylcysteine, statins, remote ischaemic preconditioning, renal vasodilators and renal replacement therapy and the use of alternatives to iodinated contrast agents are discussed. It should be noted that most of the available data regarding CIN are from non-surgical patients.