Safety and efficacy of 6% hydroxyethyl starch in patients undergoing major surgery: The randomised controlled PHOENICS trial.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Hydroxyethyl starch (HES) is often used for maintaining vascular volume during major surgery. Long-term high-dose HES in septic patients promotes renal injury, whereas meta-analyses of current HES products in surgical patients do not show such effects.

Objective

We studied if the peri-operative use of HES is noninferior to crystalloids in terms of acute kidney injury. Secondary outcome was the noninferiority of HES on worsening of renal injury and/or the incidence of a composite endpoint of major complications and mortality until postoperative day 90.

Design

Randomised double-blind trial in patients undergoing elective abdominal surgery with expected blood loss at least 500 ml.

Setting

Multicentre trial at 53 study sites in 10 European countries.

SUBMITTER: Buhre W 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12700675 | biostudies-literature | 2026 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature