Perioperative management of dialysed patients for orthopedic surgery

: Recently, renal osteodystrophy is a remarkable problem in patients on long-term hemodialysis (HD). In this retrospective study, we evaluated the perioperative management of 21 patients receiving orthopedic surgery between January 1990 and December 1992. These patients had been maintained on HD for an average of 8.6 years (range, 18 months-20 years). The primary causes of orthopedic surgery were amyloidosis, diabetic gangrene, rheumatoid arthritis and fractures. Laminectomy, replacement of arthropathy, osteosynthesis and amputation of the lower extremity were undertaken. General anesthesia was performed on six patients. Vecuronium was given to all of these patients. Isoflurane was used in 5 patients and sevoflurane in 1 patient. Regional anesthesia was used in 15 patients. During anesthesia, the average infusion rate of intravenous fluids was 2.7 ml.kg-1.h-1, and the intraoperative complications included hypertension in 16, hypotension in 12, arrhythmia in 4 and prolonged sedation in 2 patients. Postoperative complications included hyperkalemia in 2, pneumonia in 2, psychological disorder in 3, clotting fistula in 1 and delayed wound healing in 7 patients. One early death in a diabetic patient following amputation occurred on the 13th postoperative day. Preoperative HD was performed within 24 hours and postoperative HD within 72 hours of the operation. Nafamostat mesilate was used as an anticoagulant. Excessive removal of potassium must be avoided during preoperative HD to prevent arrhythmia. The well-managed elective patients gave a good result. However, extreme care in nutrition and infection control should be taken, especially in diabetic patients.