Renal dysfunction after abdominal or thoracic endovascular aortic aneurysm repair: incidence and risk factors

Dexmedetomidine reduces acute kidney injury after endovascular aortic repair of Stanford type B aortic dissection: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study

STUDY OBJECTIVE

To determine the effect of dexmedetomidine on acute kidney injury (AKI) following endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) for Stanford type B aortic dissection (TBAD).

DESIGN

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, pilot study.

SETTING

University Hospital.

PATIENTS

102 TBAD patients undergoing EVAR procedures were enrolled. Patients with dissection involving aortic arch or renal artery were excluded.

INTERVENTIONS

Patients were randomly assigned, in a 1:1 ratio, to a dexmedetomidine group (intravenous dexmedetomidine 0.4 μg/kg/h immediately after anesthesia induction and 0.1 μg/kg/h after extubation, which was maintained until 24 h) or a normal saline control group.

MEASUREMENTS

The primary outcome was the incidence of AKI within the first two days after surgery, based on the Acute Kidney Injury Network (AKIN) criteria. The secondary outcomes included serum cystatin C and estimated glomerular filtration rate on postoperative days 1, 2, and 7, and in-hospital need for renal replacement therapy (RRT). Long-term outcomes included RRT and all-cause mortality.

MAIN RESULTS

Ninety-eight patients completed the study (dexmedetomidine, n = 48; control, n = 50). AKIN stage 1 AKI occurred in 3/48 (6.3%) patients receiving dexmedetomidine, compared with 11/50 (22%) patients receiving normal saline (odds ratio = 0.24, 95% CI: 0.07 to 0.89, P = 0.041). This difference remained significant after adjusting for baseline covariates (adjusted odds ratio = 0.21, 95% CI: 0.05 to 0.84; P = 0.028). Dexmedetomidine led to a lower serum cystatin C on postoperative day 1 (median [IQR] mg/L: 1.31 [1.02-1.72] vs. 1.58 [1.28-1.96]). There were no between-group differences in other secondary or long-term outcomes. During the follow-up (median = 28.4 months), 1 patient in the dexmedetomidine group and 3 patients in the control group required RRT.

CONCLUSIONS

Dexmedetomidine reduced the incidence of AKI in TBAD patients after EVAR procedures. The long-term benefits of dexmedetomidine in this patient population warrant further investigation.

TRIAL REGISTRATION

ChiCTR-IPR-15006372.

Comparison of renal function after Endovascular Aneurysm Repair and Open Aneurysm Repair in patients treated with abdominal aortic aneurysm below the renal artery

INTRODUCTION

In addition to open endoaneurysmorrhaphy (EA) for treating the abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA), other approaches such as endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) is gaining attention. Renal dysfunction could be a complication of these surgical techniques. We decided to compare renal function in EVAR vs. EA in patients operated for infrarenal AAAs.

METHODS

Two groups of patients with AAA were included in this retrospective study. The first group (28 cases) consisted of patients who underwent AAA repair by EA technique and the second group included 12 patients who underwent EVAR for AAA repair. Serum creatinine levels measured one week, one month, three months, six months, and one year after the surgeries were documented. Through calculating the glomerular filtration rate (GFR) and scoring by the RIFLE criteria (Risk, Injury, Failure, Loss of kidney function, and End-stage kidney disease), the patients' renal function was evaluated.

RESULTS

Of 40 patients included, three cases had diabetes mellitus (7.5%), 16 cases had hypertension (40%), 16 were smokers (40%), and 12 cases had a ruptured AAA (30%). The mean time of onset or increase of renal dysfunction compared to baseline in both groups was 6.45 days. The lowest time for patients with renal dysfunction (GFR less than 60) was from the onset and the highest time was 90 days after surgery. GFR of patients before surgery (76.9 in the EVAR group, vs. 56.2 in the EA group; P = 0.015) and one year after the surgery (84.1 in the EVAR group, vs. 57.7 in the EA group; P = 0.027) was differed significantly. The RIFLE criterion also was significantly different at the end of the first year in the two groups (P = 0.042).

CONCLUSION

Based on the results, we concluded that the changes in renal function in EA group were more than EVAR group during one year. It may be necessary to follow patients undergoing these surgeries for a longer period to understand the prognosis of these patients better.

The Shaggy Aorta Syndrome: An Updated Review

BACKGROUND

Shaggy aorta (SA) depicts the severe aortic surface degeneration, extremely friable, and likely to cause spontaneous peripheral and visceral embolization or during catheterization, aortic manipulation, surgery, or minimally invasive procedures. This study aims to provide the most accurate and up-to-date information on this disease.

METHODS

Potentially eligible studies to be included were identified by searching the following databases: CENTRAL Library, ClinicalTrials.gov, MEDLINE, and CINAHL, using a combination of subject headings and text words to identify relevant studies: (Shaggy aorta) OR (aortic embolization) OR (aortic embolism) OR (aortic thrombus) OR (aortic plaque). From a total of 29,111 abstracts, and after applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, we considered 60 studies for inclusion in this review.

RESULTS

Appropriate measurement and assessment of the aortic wall are pivotal in the modern era, in particular when percutaneous procedures are performed, as SA has been identified as an independent risk factor for spinal cord injury, mesenteric embolization, and cerebral infarction after endovascular aortic repair. Furthermore, SA increases the rate of cerebral complications during transcatheter aortic valve implantation.

CONCLUSIONS

In conclusion, prompt diagnosis of SA syndrome and appropriate guidelines on the management of these conditions may help physicians to better assess the patient risk and to minimize the dreadful-related complications.