Effect of chronic renal failure on mortality rate following arterial reconstruction.
BACKGROUND
There is some evidence that patients with renal failure who have arterial procedures may have a poor outcome. This study compared the hospital mortality rate of arterial surgery in patients with chronic renal failure and those with normal renal function.


METHODS
A consecutive series of 1718 patients undergoing arterial reconstructive surgery (excluding amputation) was entered prospectively on to a computerized database. Chronic renal failure was defined as a serum creatinine level over 400 micromol/l, or dialysis (either peritoneal or haemodialysis), or a successful renal transplant. Mortality was assessed at 30 days or in hospital.


RESULTS
There were 69 patients (4.0 per cent) who were defined as having chronic renal failure. The mortality rate in this group was 23 per cent (16 patients) compared with 7.3 per cent (120 patients) of the 1649 patients without renal failure. The mortality rate was highest in patients undergoing urgent or emergency surgery and in those undergoing reconstruction for lower limb occlusive disease. The main causes of death were related to the cardiovascular system.


CONCLUSIONS
Patients with chronic renal failure undergoing arterial surgery have a poor outcome compared with those with normal renal function.
Gerrard
D J
DJ
Department of Surgery, Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital, London SE1 7EH, UK.
Ray
S A
SA
Barrio
E A
EA
Wood
C H
CH
Scoble
J E
JE
Taylor
P R
PR
D001158:Arteries; D019917:Blood Vessel Prosthesis Implantation / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000401:mortality; D002423:Cause of Death; D017052:Hospital Mortality; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000209:etiology* / Q000401:mortality; D011446:Prospective Studies; D012307:Risk Factors; D014652:Vascular Diseases / Q000401:mortality / Q000601:surgery*