Renal function following aneurysmectomy of the abdominal aorta

Postoperative renal function was evaluated in 90 patients operated on for abdominal aortic aneurysms. Forty-four patients were operated on acutely because of impending or actual rupture of the aneurysm. Forty-six patients were operated on electively. The overall mortality rate was 23.7% with a post-operative mortality of 7.8%. Postoperative renal function was evaluated by measurements of the s-creatinine. Impaired renal function was found postoperatively in 45% of the surviving patients. Forty percent of the patients operated on electively had postoperative renal impairment compared with 52% of the patients operated on acutely. The postoperative mortality rate in patients with impaired renal function was 32.4% compared with 8.7% in patients with unchanged renal function. No significant relation between postoperative renal impairment and administration of aminoglycosides, duration of the operation or clamping time of the aorta was found. We found a significant relationship between postoperative renal impairment and episodes of hypotension (p less than 0.01) and the volume of blood transfusions needed (p less than 0.001).