Abstract
Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious postoperative complication in children undergoing
surgery for congenital heart disease. The incidence of this complication and its consequences
may have changed due to advances in surgical technique, but comparisons between studies
are compromised by differences in study design, diagnostic criteria, and patient selection.
Recently, attention has been drawn to the importance of an early diagnosis based on
the use of new, refined, and sensitive biomarkers. However, the pathophysiology behind
AKI remains unsolved and ambiguous, which limits the usefulness of both traditional
and new diagnostic tools. Furthermore, this gap in the understanding of AKI may be
responsible for the lack of a specific preventive intervention or treatment.
Keywords
congenital heart disease - cardiac surgical procedures - acute kidney injury - children
