Use of the Deane prosthesis in patients on long-term peritoneal dialysis.

The Deane peritoneal prosthesis has been used successfully in the treatment of 21 patients with chronic renal failure who were maintained on peritoneal dialysis for periods of up to 20 months. All patients were dialyzed for 24 hours twice weekly. While the prosthesis was still in place, transplantation was carried out in seven patients and laparotomy in three. The prosthesis was also used temporarily whenever a permanent peritoneal catheter (Tenckhoff's) failed because of infection; it was used until the signs of infection disappeared, then the permanent catheter could be replaced safely. From a total of 1136 dialyses 36 positive cultures were reported. Clinical peritonitis was found on only four occasions.