Acute renal failure and rhabdomyolysis after inadvertent intra-arterial infusion of excessive doses of epinephrine during cardiopulmonary resuscitation.

Severe renal dysfunction or even acute renal failure necessitating renal replacement therapy are rather infrequent observations in patients following cardiopulmonary resuscitation. A low flow situation alone does not seem to be sufficient for renal breakdown and in addition other factors, such as preexisting renal disease, severe infections or congestive heart failure must be present. We report a patient, in whom during cardiopulmonary resuscitation a central venous catheter was placed which inadvertently was located in the aortic arch. Through this malpositioned line increasing and finally excessive amounts of epinephrine (in total 150 mg) were injected because of inadequate therapeutic response. After finally successful resuscitation the patient developed rhabdomyolysis and acute renal failure, which required hemodialyis therapy. Intraarterial infusion of the vasoconstrictor catecholamine obviously caused a critical reduction in renal and skeletal muscle perfusion. Nevertheless, the patient was discharged from hospital in good neurologic condition and with normal renal function.