Purpose: To investigate the renal complications associated with endovascula
r repair of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs).
Methods: Data were prospectively collected on 164 AAA patients (154 males;
median age 72 years; interquartile range 51 to 88) undergoing endovascular
grafting. Any history of renal failure and diabetes mellitus was recorded.
Serum urea and creatinine levels were measured preoperatively and at regula
r intervals postoperatively. Renal impairment was defined as serum creatini
ne > 130 mu mol/L.
Results: There were no significant differences in pre- and 1-day postoperat
ive serum urea and creatinine levels. Among 15 (9.1%) patients with preoper
ative renal failure, 7 (47%) died, 4 (27%) in the perioperative period. Of
the 149 patients with normal renal function preoperatively, 4 (2.7%) develo
ped renal failure as part of multisystem organ failure. Another 9 (6.2%) de
veloped significant postoperative elevations (> 20%) in their creatinine le
vels compared to baseline; 4 of these patients died, 2 in the perioperative
period. There was no significant difference in the median dose of intravas
cular contrast used for those patients that did and did not have a deterior
ation in their renal function (250 mt versus 300 mt).
Conclusions: In this study, approximately 6% of patients with normal preope
rative renal function who undergo endovascular AAA repair develop renal dys
function. For patients with preoperative renal impairment, the perioperativ
e mortality rate is high, 27%, following endovascular aortic aneurysm repai
r.