Perioperative renal protection in patients with obstructive jaundice using drug combinations.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: The effectiveness of dopamine alone or in combination with mannitol or furosemide in preventing postoperative renal dysfunction in patients with obstructive jaundice was assessed in this study.

METHODOLOGY

Forty patients having obstructive jaundice were randomly allocated into 4 equal groups. Preoperative hydration was performed by infusing all patients 1L of 5% dextrose the night before surgery and another 1L in the morning before surgery. Intra- and postoperative maintenance of adequate intravascular volume was assured by fluid and blood replacement guided by the monitoring of central venous pressure urine output and blood pressure. The 1st group was kept as a control. The other 3 groups received dopamine 2.5 micrograms/kg/min for 2 postoperative days starting before surgery. The 2nd group was maintained on dopamine alone, while mannitol (0.25 g/kg), every 12 hours for 2 postoperative days, was added to the 3rd group. Similarly furosemide (1 mg/kg) every 12 hours for 2 postoperative days, was infused to the patients of the 4th group. Postoperative renal functions were assessed by 24-hour urine output, serum creatinine, creatinine clearance and urine to plasma osmolality ratio.

RESULTS

All these tests did not show significant changes in the 1st, 2nd and 7th postoperative days. Only transient decreased creatinine clearance and elevated serum creatinine were observed in the patients of the 4th group in the 1st and 2nd postoperative days. This may be attributed to fluid imbalance induced by furosemide in these patients who were older than the other groups.

CONCLUSIONS

The study showed that careful attention to perioperative hydration is the cornerstone in preserving adequate renal function following surgery in patients with obstructive jaundice. Administration of dopamine alone or in combination with mannitol or furosemide did not confer more renal protection.