title: 'Surgical' peritonitis in the CAPD patient.
abstract: Peritonitis is the most frequent cause for emergency hospital admission in continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. Patients may present with 'surgical' peritonitis from other intra-abdominal pathology, but are treated initially as CAPD-related peritonitis. We present nine such cases, each failing to respond to standard conservative treatment, and ultimately coming to laparotomy. Of the nine patients, six survived, five transferring to long-term haemodialysis and one patient returning to CAPD. Failure to respond to standard measures should alert the physician to the possibility of an intra-abdominal emergency. The presence of enteric organisms, particularly E. coli, is an additional suspicious feature. The diagnosis may be difficult and we recommend early surgical referral and appropriate surgical measures (laparotomy rather than simple catheter removal) in order to decrease morbidity and mortality.
authors.affiliation: Department of Surgery, General Infirmary at Leeds.
authors.forename: G V
authors.initials: GV
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Bhandari
authors.forename: A M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Brownjohn
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Turney
authors.forename: E A
authors.initials: EA
authors.lastname: Benson
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000209:etiology; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004926:Escherichia coli / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000209:etiology / Q000628:therapy*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010531:Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory / Q000009:adverse effects*; D010538:Peritonitis / Q000209:etiology* / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D017211:Treatment Failure; D016896:Treatment Outcome
chemical_list: D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents