Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a serious complication of on-pump cardiac surgery, with an incidence rate of up to 30%. It is associated with in-hospital prolonged length of stay, increased costs, a higher risk of death,1-4 and long-term morbidity, including the development of chronic kidney disease (CKD) and cardiovascular disease.5-8 Preventing AKI after cardiac surgery is an important step toward minimizing these potentially devastating complications. The pathophysiology of AKI following on-pump cardiac surgery is the result of the patient’s exposure to the cardiopulmonary bypass machine, which induces ischemia-reperfusion injury, activation of the coagulation cascade and complement system, and a host inflammatory responses with leukocyte activation and release of cytokines.