Revision total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an increasingly common procedure, but complication rates are higher than for primary TKA. A requirement for dialysis has been shown to predict postoperative complications in this patient population, but the impact of less severe, but clinically significant, renal impairment has not been addressed.
A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the American College of Surgeons National Quality Improvement Program Database. All patients who underwent revision TKA between 2007 and 2014 were identified and the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) was calculated for each patient. The incidence and predictors of adverse events following surgery were evaluated with univariate and multivariate analyses where appropriate.
Patients with lower eGFRs (<60 mL/min) were found to develop more postoperative complications, including return to the operating room, postoperative pneumonia, urinary tract infection, sepsis, septic shock, and death. Decreased renal function was shown to be an independent risk factor for development of renal insufficiency, renal failure, and extended length of stay.
Patients with decreased eGFRs have greater risk for many postoperative complications, but this increased risk is generally related to the greater number of comorbidities in this patient population. When controlling for these comorbidities, poor renal function is an independent risk factor for extended length of stay as well as postoperative renal injury and renal failure, and patients may benefit from perioperative measures to limit this excess renal risk.