Renal insufficiency in neonates after cardiac surgery

Renal failure after cardiac surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is well understood for infants, children and adults. The perioperative risk factors after CPB for immature kidneys in newborns are not well known. This retrospective study investigates perioperative risk factors for renal insufficiency in neonates. I) Preoperative: Age; weight, performed angiography, amount of dye used in angiography, renal disease and creatinine. II) Intraoperative: Duration of operation, duration of MAP < 40 mmHg, use of deep hypothermia, in-out fluid balance, duration of CPB, duration of circulatory arrest and cross-clamp time. III) Postoperative: Creatinine, use of catecholamines, use of nitroglycerine (NG) or phosphodiesterase inhibitors (PDI) and additional antibiotics. From Jan. 1990 to Dec. 1994 50 neonates underwent cardiac surgery using CPB (n = 23 transposition of the great arteries; n = 4 pulmonary atresia; n = 6 critical pulmonary stenosis; n = 5 hypoplastic left heart syndrome; n = 3 Ebstein's anomaly; n = 2 interrupted arch with hypoplastic left ventricle; n = 2 single ventricle; n = 1 each: double outlet right ventricle, tricuspid atresia, critical aortic stenosis, rhabdo-myosarkoma, corrected transposition of the great arteries.) Thirty-one patients entered the study. Depending on the postoperative creatinine level two groups (group I: creatinine <1 mg/dl and group II: >1 mg/dl) were created. The diureses between the two groups did not differ. Comparing the patients of group I vs. group II, patients of group I were younger (mean age: 7.7 d. vs. 11.4 d), lighter (mean weight: 3260 g vs. 3430 g), less had angiography (44% vs. 77%), received more dye (mean amount: 14 ml vs. 7 ml), the duration of MAP < 40 mmHg while on CPB was longer (mean duration 3 min vs. 21 min), more patients were operated on using deep hypothermia (55% vs. 27%), the postoperative in-out-fluid balance was more positive (mean balance +413 ml vs. +221 ml), received postop. more frequently high doses of catocholamines and less common NG or PDI, but more often additional antibiotics. The duration of circulatory arrest (mean time: 60 min vs. 55 min) and cross clamp time (mean time: 68 min vs. 65 min) seems not to be a risk factor and vasodilators given simultaneously with catecholamines may have preventive effects on postoperative renal insufficiency. Immature kidneys may play an outstanding role in the susceptibility of damaging factors. Further investigation with a larger number of patients allowing to obtain statistical significant risk factors are required.