PERIOPERATIVE ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY

Course overview

PERIOPERATIVE ACUTE KIDNEY INJURY (AKI) IS A COMMON YET UNDER-RECOGNIZED PROBLEM THAT INCREASES MORTALITY, MORBIDITY, AND INCREASES THE COST OF HOSPITALIZATIONS. IT CAN LEAD TO THE DEVELOPMENT OF CHRONIC KIDNEY DISEASE AND THE NEED FOR RENAL REPLACEMENT THERAPY. AKI IS A COMPLICATION OF BOTH CARDIAC AND NON-CARDIAC SURGERY. ONCE RENAL INJURY DEVELOPS, THERE ARE FEW THERAPEUTIC OPTIONS AVAILABLE THAT CAN REVERSE THE DAMAGE, AND AS SUCH, PROMPT RECOGNITION AND EARLY INTERVENTION ARE CRITICAL TO PREVENT THE PROGRESSION OF THE DISEASE. THIS ACTIVITY REVIEWS THE RISK FACTORS, DIAGNOSIS, AND TREATMENT OF PERIOPERATIVE AKI AND HIGHLIGHTS THE ROLE OF THE INTERPROFESSIONAL TEAM IN THE CARE OF PATIENTS WITH THIS CONDITION.