Cardiac surgery in patients with end-stage renal disease

In a retrospective study we analyzed the clinical features of 85 patients with end-stage renal disease who underwent cardiac operation. Seventy-eight patients were from reports in the literature, and 7 were from our experience. The cardiac procedures were primarily valve replacements and aortocoronary bypass (ACB) operations. The indication for valve replacement was most commonly infective endocarditis (73%), affecting most frequently the aortic valve (68%). The most common organism was Staphylococcus aureus, and there was a recent episode of angioaccess site infection in at least 17.5% of patients with documented endocarditis. The 30-day mortality was 57% for patients undergoing emergency valve replacement and only 3% for similar elective operations. Cumulative survival at 48 months was equal to that of the overall hemodialysis population not having cardiac operations. The mean age (50 years), male to female ratio (9:1), number of vessels bypassed per patient (2.4), and operative mortality for ACB were equal to those reported in comparable series of patients with normal renal function. Cumulative survival at 48 months for ACB patients was similar (60% versus 56%) to that of the overall hemodialysis population. Cardiac operations can be performed safely in patients with end-stage renal disease; the morbidity and mortality are similar to those encountered in patients with normal renal function. The long-term survival after cardiac procedures in patients with end-stage renal disease is similar to that reported for the overall hemodialysis population not having cardiac operations.