The Moncrief-Popovich catheter. A new peritoneal access technique for patients on peritoneal dialysis.

Existing catheter implantation techniques violate a fundamental premise of wound healing. The immediate presence of the catheter in the post operative surgical wound forms a passage for permanent colonization of the catheter tunnel and cuff(s). This is manifested by the almost universal presence of the biologic products of bacterial growth (biofilm) on the external and internal surfaces of these catheters. The Moncrief-Popovich catheter and implantation technique are designed to address this problem. The Moncrief-Popovich catheter is implanted in the standard fashion, except that the external segment of the catheter is buried subcutaneously at the time of implantation. After allowing 3-5 weeks for tissue in-growth in a sterile environment, a small incision is made in the skin through which the external segment of the catheter is exteriorized and attached to an adapter. A 2 year trial was conducted in 59 patients, comprising 530 patient-months of experience; the incidence of peritonitis was one episode for every 29.4 patient months. All but three of the patients used the standard spike exchange technique. In a recently initiated study using disconnect procedures in 63 of the 74 patients studied, the peritonitis rate was one episode for every 28.7 patient-months; patient-months have totalled 201.2 to date. There was a rate of one exit site infection every 12.57 patients-months. It was concluded that the Moncrief-Popovich catheter and implantation technique result in a substantial decrease in the incidence of peritonitis for patients using the standard spike exchange system.