Acute renal failure following cardiopulmonary bypass in children: results of treatment.

Following open heart surgery using cardiopulmonary bypass, 18 (4%) of 441 operated children required treatment with peritoneal dialysis for acute renal failure or refractory oliguria. Nine recovered renal function (50%) and 5 (28%) survived. Only 2 died from renal causes. Despite both adequate symptomatic treatment of renal failure and few complications of dialysis itself, the prognosis remains poor, even with early treatment, but an aggressive approach is justified because some survivors can be expected.