European journal of vascular and endovascular surgery : the official journal of the European Society for Vascular Surgery
-
Eur J Vasc Endovasc Surg · Dec 2001
ReviewCytokines and inflammatory pathways in the pathogenesis of multiple organ failure following abdominal aortic aneurysm repair.
Multiple organ failure is a common mode of death following abdominal aortic aneurysm repair, particularly after rupture. Cytokines are the principal mediators of the inflammatory response to injury and high levels of circulating cytokines have been associated with poor outcome in major trauma and sepsis. Abdominal aortic aneurysm repair results in an ischaemia-reperfusion injury to the tissues distal to the site of aortic clamping. ⋯ If released in large enough concentrations, these cytokines may enter the circulation and gain access to organs distant to the site of initial injury. Circulating cytokines cause dysfunction of the renal, cardiovascular, respiratory, nervous and musculo-skeletal systems. The combination of these individual changes in organ function is the multiple-organ dysfunction syndrome, which may progress to multiple organ failure.