Excellent Technique Survival on Home Peritoneal Dialysis: Results of a Regional Program

Abstract

Objective To examine peritoneal dialysis technique survival in our regional, continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) program. Design Retrospective analysis. Setting Tertiary care dialysis programatan academic medical center. Patients 155 patients representing all those in the peritoneal dialysis program between October 1, 1987 and October 1,1990. Outcome measures The study analyzed patient and technique survival as well as the reasons for discontinuation of dialysis. In addition, the incidence and type of peritonitis and exit-site infection were also analyzed. Results Three-year actuarial patient survival was 66% and three-year technique survival was 86%, with data censored for death and transplant patients. Fiftyseven percent of transfers to hemodialysis were due to peritonitis, usually fungal or multiorganism bacterial. Only 1 patient failed due to exit-site and tunnel infection, and 1 due to inadequate dialysis. The catheter removal rate was 0.04 per patient-year. Conclusions Excellent CAPD technique survival can be achieved if exit-site and tunnel infection rates are low.