Renal failure and the surgeon.

Surgical procedures can be accomplished successfully in patients with uremia provided certain principles of perioperative management are observed. Preoperative dialysis minimizes the biochemical derangements and improves fluid balance, hypertension and hemostasis. Drug schedules are adjusted in consideration of abnormal metabolism in renal disease. Anesthetic management is modified in recognition of potentially adverse or altered activity of anesthetic agents and neuromuscular relaxants. The lightest plane of anesthesia consistent with expeditious operative technique is maintained, since adequate tissue oxygenation is dependent upon increased cardiac output in these invariably anemic patients. Intraoperative hyperventilation sustains the usual compensatory mechanism for uremic metabolic acidosis in the conscious patient, thereby averting increments in serum potassium levels associated with increasing acidosis. Postoperative morbidity may include shunt thrombosis, infection, impaired wound healing, bleeding, pericarditis, pleuritis and pancreatitis. Hypervolemia and hyperkalemia are best managed by early postoperative dialysis. A period of nutritional support using intravenous essential L-amino acids and hypertonic glucose appears promising, especially when gastrointestinal dysfunction exists.