Hypermyoglobinemia after successful arterial embolectomy.

Myoglobin concentrations in serum and urine were measured in eight patients who underwent successful arterial embolectomy in the femoral or iliac arteries. Median serum myoglobin levels significantly increased after revascularization to a maximum of 4741 micrograms/L (reference range: 0 to 80 micrograms/L) 2 hours postoperatively, with a concomitant and correlated increase in the urine myoglobin concentration. Three days after the operation, serum myoglobin concentrations were still substantially elevated in three patients. None of our patients suffered permanent renal damage, but transient renal impairment was noted in five patients, as evaluated from the serum and urine beta 2-microglobulin concentrations. We found an association between the concentrations of myoglobin in serum and urine (Spearman's rho: 0.66; p less than 0.001) and between the concentrations of myoglobin in urine and beta 2-microglobulin in urine (Spearman's rho: 0.65; p less than 0.001). Our results indicate a transient renal impairment associated with hypermyoglobinemia and myoglobinuria, even after successful arterial embolectomy.