Massive rhabdomyolysis following cardiopulmonary bypass

Red-Colored Urine in the Cardiac Surgical Patient-Diagnosis, Causes, and Management

Red-colored urine occurring in the intraoperative and early postoperative periods after cardiac surgery is often a cause for concern. This observation may be a result of hematuria from pathology within the urinary tract, anticoagulant-related nephropathy, drug-induced acute interstitial nephropathy, excretion of heme pigment-containing proteins, such as myoglobin and hemoglobin, and hemolysis occurring during extracorporeal circulation. Within the kidneys, heme-containing compounds result in pigment nephropathy, which is a significant contributory factor to cardiac surgery-associated acute kidney injury. Concerted efforts to reduce red blood cell damage during cardiopulmonary bypass, together with early recognition of the at-risk patient and the institution of prompt therapeutic intervention, may improve outcomes. This review addresses the diagnosis, causes, and management of red-discolored urine occurring during and after cardiac surgery.

Fatal Rhabdomyolysis following Spine Surgery in a Morbidly Obese Patient: A Case Report

We generally believe that obese patients are faced on higher risk of developing perioperative complications. Rhabdomyolysis is a rare but potentially life-threatening condition caused by the release of injured skeletal muscle components into the circulation. It usually results from mechanical damage to the muscle, intoxication, or a postictal state after a seizure. In the present study, we have reported a rare case of rhabdomyolysis developing in a morbidly obese patient after upper thoracic spinal fusion surgery. We have found acute renal failure that evolved during the course of treatment resulted in a fatal outcome even though the patient received intensive supportive care. Our experience suggests that this rare complication should be considered in morbidly obese patients and those efforts should be made to avoid rhabdomyolysis.

Bariatric surgery: Rhabdomyolysis after open Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a prospective study

BACKGROUND

Rhabdomyolysis (RML) is a recently recognized complication of bariatric surgery (BS). The aim of this prospective study was to determine frequency, risk factors, and clinical relevance of RML in morbidly obese patients treated with open Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP).

METHODS

A total of 23 consecutive patients with morbid obesity undergoing primary open RYGBP were included prospectively in the present study. The following parameters were recorded: age, gender, BMI (kg/m(2)), comorbidities (presence of known hypertension and diabetes), duration of surgery, levels of serum creatine phosphokinase (CPK) measured before surgery and daily after until the values were clearly tending towards normal, and the presence of neuromuscular symptoms in the early post-operative period. RML was defined as post-operative CPK >1000 IU/l (5 times the normal value). Patients were divided into two groups according to the presence or absence of RML.

RESULTS

The study sample consists of 16 females (69.6%) and 7 males (29.4%). RML was diagnosed in 7 (30.4%) patients with CPK levels greater than 5000 IU/l in 3 patients (42.9%). BMI was identified as an independent risk factor for RML (P = 0.031). The best cut-off value of BMI as a predictor of RML was 55.88 kg/m(2) giving sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 80.7%. Other variables (age, sex, comorbidities, and duration of surgery) did not have a significant predictive effect on the rate of RML.

CONCLUSION

After open bariatric surgery with RYGBP, the risk of RML increases in obese patients specially when BMI >56 kg/m(2). In such patients, CPK, which is an inexpensive easily done test, should be performed routinely to guarantee early diagnosis and consequently preventive treatment of RML complications.

Rhabdomyolysis after bariatric surgery by Roux-en-Y gastric bypass: a prospective study

BACKGROUND

Obesity is a worldwide epidemic associated to comorbidities and increased mortality. Because it is chronic and recurrent and has little response to clinical measures, surgical treatment (bariatric surgery) is a therapeutic option frequently used. Different surgical complications have been associated with this type of procedure, but there is little knowledge about neuromuscular complications. Among the latter, rhabdomyolysis (RML), described a few years ago, has not been well characterized to date.

METHODS

We have studied 22 consecutive patients who underwent surgical treatment with open Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGBP) for morbid obesity in a university hospital. A database was created including the following information of each patient: gender, age, body mass index (BMI), comorbidities, surgical time, pre- and postoperative creatine phosphokinase (CPK) dosages, and neuromuscular symptoms after surgery. The main outcome measure was the frequency of RML using CPK dosage after 24 h of surgery. RML was diagnosed as an increase of more than five times the superior limit of normal range of CPK.

RESULTS

Fourteen women and eight men were evaluated, with median age of 39.9+/-11.2 years, median BMI of 52.4+/-8.0 kg/m2 and mean surgical time of 253.2+/-51.9 min. The mean value of postoperative CPK was 7,467.7+/-12,177.1 IU/L, being greater than 5,000 IU/L in 40.9% of the patients. RML was diagnosed in 17 (77.3%) patients. No patient had renal failure caused by RML, but there was one death (4.5%) related to abdominal infectious complications. Clinical neuromuscular symptoms occurred in 45% of patients, and muscular pain was the most common one, especially in gluteus region. Comparative analyzes between patients without and with RML diagnosis showed that longer surgical time (p=0.005), and occurrence of neuromuscular symptoms (p=0.04) were more common in the latter.

CONCLUSION

The results of this study are similar to few other investigations and confirm that RML in open bariatric surgery with RYGBP (Capella) is a common complication. A longer surgical time can be involved in RML pathogenesis, and muscular pain is suggestive of RML occurrence.

Acute renal failure in the critically ill patient

This article focuses on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, and prevention of the most common forms of acute renal failure encountered in the critically ill. These include pre-renal azotemia and acute tubular necrosis that occurs postoperatively, in patients with rhabdomyolysis, or as a complication of sepsis. In addition, some unusual causes of acute renal failure that occur predominantly in the intensive care unit are briefly discussed.