Placement of a peritoneal dialysis catheter with routine omentectomy--does it prevent obstruction of the catheter?

OBJECTIVE

To find out if routine omentectomy reduced the incidence of obstruction and other complications of catheters inserted for continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD).

DESIGN

Retrospective study.

SETTING

Teaching hospital, Israel.

SUBJECTS

60 patients with end stage renal failure who needed catheters for CAPD.

INTERVENTION

Routine omentectomy during insertion of the catheter, usually under local anaesthesia.

MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES

Short and long term morbidity, and mortality.

RESULTS

No patient died as a result of the procedure. The catheter obstructed in only one patient (2%) during a mean follow-up period of 28 months (range 2-108), and 90% of the catheters survived one year.

CONCLUSIONS

Routine omentectomy during insertion of a catheter for CAPD under local anaesthesia is safe and the incidence of obstruction is low. Prospective randomised studies are needed before it can be recommended as the procedure of choice.