An Outpatient Maneuver to Treat Bloody Effluent during Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis (CAPD)

Abstract

Asymptomatic episodes of grossly bloody effluent during continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) can be treated by following a simple therapeutic maneuver. The patient performs one to three rapid exchanges using unwarmed (room temperature), 1.5% dextrose containing dialysate. No dwell time is employed. This treatment proves successful in a variety of clinical settings, and no adverse effects have been noted. Infusion of unwarmed dialysate likely induces peritoneal vasoconstriction and thus favors hemostasis. Bleeding of nonperitoneal etiology, such as renal cyst hemorrhage or retrograde menstruation, proves resistant.