Cardiac Surgery–Associated Acute Kidney Injury

Abstract

This chapter on the topic of cardiac surgery–associated acute kidney injury (CS-AKI) examines the risk factors for and the prevention, diagnosis, and management of this serious and common consequence of cardiothoracic surgery. The chapter follows the clinical course of a patient with a moderate risk of CS-AKI undergoing an aortic valve replacement and coronary artery bypass grafting. The risk factors, both patient- and surgery-specific, are demonstrated in tabular form. Methods to mitigate against these risk factors are explained, including optimizing the timing of surgery. The most up-to-date diagnostic criteria for AKI are compared. It also recommends the most accurate formulae to evaluate the severity of CS-AKI. The value of medical therapies prior to renal replacement therapy (RRT) is examined. The clinical decisions regarding the mode of RRT, timing of RRT, anticoagulation methods, and vascular access are highlighted. Patients with already established end-stage renal disease are discussed as a separate cohort. The chapter concludes by discussing the short- and longer-term prognosis associated with CS-AKI.