Swan neck presternal peritoneal dialysis catheter.

We hypothesized that a swan neck catheter for peritoneal dialysis with the exit in the presternal area will be less likely to develop an exit-site infection than currently used peritoneal dialysis catheters with the exit located on the abdomen. The chest is a sturdy structure with minimal wall motions; the catheter exit located on the chest wall is subjected to minimal movements decreasing the chances for trauma and contamination. Also, in patients with abdominal ostomies and in children with diapers, a chest exit location will decrease chances of contamination. The presternal peritoneal dialysis catheter is composed of two flexible (silicone rubber) tubes joined through a titanium connector at the time of implantation. Four such catheters were implanted in four patients: two in extremely obese patients, one in a patient with a suprapubic catheter, and one in a patient with a chronic exit infection with a previous catheter. Tensile strength tests showed that the two parts of the catheter practically cannot separate spontaneously in the tunnel. Flow rates were adequate in the supine and sitting positions. All catheters functioned and healed well, and the exits have not become infected during the whole observation period up to 11 months. These preliminary experiences support the rationale of catheter design.