Outcome of patients on chronic peritoneal dialysis undergoing peritoneal catheter removal because of peritonitis.

Peritoneal catheter removal may be clinically indicated in the management of peritonitis. The data on the course of patients undergoing peritoneal catheter reinsertion after removal for peritonitis are limited. The present study was designed to examine what happens to patients on chronic peritoneal dialysis (CPD) after peritoneal catheter removal for peritonitis. We retrospectively reviewed the charts of patients who developed peritonitis between January 1, 1990, and September 1, 2002. We identified 1146 episodes of peritonitis; in 189 of the episodes (16%), the peritoneal catheter was removed. Catheters were reinserted in 88 of those patients (47%). Reasons for peritoneal catheter removal among the 88 patients who underwent peritoneal catheter reinsertion included unit protocol (51%), poor response to antibiotics (46%), and exit-site or tunnel infection (3%). Reasons for peritoneal catheter removal among the 101 patients in whom the peritoneal catheter was not reinserted included unit protocol (62%), poor response to antibiotics (20%), and extensive history of peritonitis (18%). After reinsertion, the new peritoneal catheter remained in place for a mean of 15.4 +/- 15.4 months (range: 1-75 months). In 37 of the 88 patients with reinserted peritoneal catheters (42%), the catheters remained in place for longer than 1 year. The remaining 6 patients underwent transplantation or were transferred to another facility. Of the remaining 51 patients whose new peritoneal catheters lastedfor less than I year, 13 (25.5%) died, and 32 (63%) were transferred permanently to hemodialysis. Of the 101 patients who did not have a peritoneal catheter reinserted, 23 (23%) died within the 2-week period following the onset of peritonitis. The rest were transferred to hemodialysis. The reasons noted for not reinserting the peritoneal catheter included frequent episodes of peritonitis, patient unwillingness to retry CPD therapy, psychosocial reasons, bowel perforation, or transfer to an institution unable to perform CPD therapy. We conclude that, among patients who medically require peritoneal catheter removal because of peritonitis, few will successfully return to long-term CPD therapy. Of the patients who required peritoneal catheter removal in our study, 23% died within the first 2 weeks after the onset of peritonitis, before catheter reinsertion could be considered. Only 47% of the patients underwent a successful catheter reinsertion; and, of those, only 34% remained on CPD therapy I year later Thus, only 20% of patients undergoing PD catheter removal remain on CPD therapy 1 year after catheter removal.