Acute renal failure after ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm: an improved clinical prognosis

Eleven cases of renal failure associated with resection of ruptured abdominal aortic aneurysm and requiring hemodialysis are reported. Previously described series have emphasized the extremely high mortality rate in such patients. In our clinical experience, however, 8 of 11 consecutively treated patients with this clinical problem survived and recovered adequate renal function. We believe that these favorable results can be largely explained by the low incidence of pulmonary infection in our patients as opposed to the frequent occurrence of pulmonary sepsis in other reported series. The reduction in the incidence of pulmonary infection can probably be attributed to the early discontinuance of artificial ventilation after prompt removal of pulmonary edema fluid by intensive hemodialysis ultrafiltration. These survival figures demonstrate that, with appropriate intensive management, full recovery is possible in the majority of patients with acute renal failure complicating ruptured aortic abdominal aneurysm. Our experience serves as a stimulus to render full intensive care support to such patients.