Intraoperative renal desaturation and postoperative acute kidney injury in older patients undergoing liver resection: A prospective cohort study

Study objective: To determine the association between intraoperative renal tissue desaturation as measured using near-infrared spectroscopy and increased likelihood of developing postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) in older patients undergoing hepatectomy.

Design: A multicenter prospective cohort study.

Setting: The study was conducted at two tertiary hospitals in China from September 2020 to October 2021.

Patients: 157 older patients (≥ 60 years) undergoing open hepatectomy surgery.

Interventions and measurements: Renal tissue oxygen saturation was continuously monitored during operation using near-infrared spectroscopy. The exposure of interest was intraoperative renal desaturation, defined as at least 20% relative decline in renal tissue oxygen saturation from baseline. The primary outcome was postoperative AKI, defined using the Kidney Disease: Improving Global Outcomes criteria according to the serum creatinine criteria.

Main results: Renal desaturation occurred in 70 of 157 patients. Postoperative AKI was observed in 23% (16/70) and 8% (7/87) of patients with versus without renal desaturation. Patients with renal desaturation were at higher risk of AKI than patients without renal desaturation (adjusted odds ratio 3.41, 95% confidence interval: 1.12-10.36, p = 0.031). Predictive performance was 65.2% sensitivity and 33.6% specificity for hypotension alone, 69.6% sensitivity and 59.7% specificity for renal desaturation alone, and 95.7% sensitivity and 26.9% specificity for combined use of hypotension and renal desaturation.

Conclusions: Intraoperative renal desaturation occurred in >40% in our sample of older patients undergoing liver resection and was associated with increased risk of AKI. Intraoperative near-infrared spectroscopy monitoring enhances the detection of AKI.