Outcome in patients requiring renal replacement therapy after surgery for ruptured and non-ruptured aneurysm of the abdominal aorta.

OBJECTIVES: to study the course of postoperative acute renal failure requiring renal replacement therapy (RRT) in patients with ruptured (RAAA) and non-ruptured (EAAA) aneurysm of the abdominal aorta (AAA) and to investigate the predictive value regarding outcome of parameters collected during the illness. DESIGN: retrospective study in a university hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: the records of 42 patients, 21 with RAAA and 21 with EAAA, were reviewed. RESULTS: overall mortality was 69%, 71% for RAAA patients and 66% for EAAA patients. RRT was started 9 (2-28) days - median (range) - postoperatively and continued during 9 (2-50) days. Renal function recovered in nine of the 13 survivors after 18 (2-50) days. Length of ICU stay was 50 (2-132) days for survivors vs. 19 (6-56) days for non-survivors. The systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS) or need for vasoactive support was associated with poor outcome and the ability to wean from vasoactive or ventilatory support with improved outcome. CONCLUSIONS: RAAA and EAAA patients requiring postoperative RRT both had a high mortality. The ICU stay of non-survivors was shorter than that of survivors, who had a 75% chance of regaining renal function. The ability to wean from ventilatory and inotropic support may be of help in the clinical management of patients requiring RRT after AAA surgery.