title: [The use of peritoneal dialysis in newborns].
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Acute renal failure is a common complication in critically ill newborn infants. The therapy of acute renal failure is conservative and etiological. Patients not responding to this kind of therapy require peritoneal dialysis.
  
  
  METHODS
  This retrospective study included 6 newborn infants undergoing peritoneal dialysis during the period from January 2004 to June 2006, at the Nephrology Department of the Institute of Child and Youth Health Care in Novi Sad. All patients presented with complications of acute renal failure including hypercalemia and uremic encephalopathy.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Complete restoration of kidney function was evident in four patients on peritoneal dialysis. Three patients are still alive, but in one patient acute renal failure progressed to chronic renal failure. One patient died in the third month of life due to multiple organ dysfunction, after just two days of dialysis. Several complications were reported: intra-abdominal hemorrhage, dialysate leakage, peritonitis and dialysis catheter obstruction.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Periotoneal dialysis catheter placement is a great problem due to the size of the newborn. If it is estimated that it will be a long-lasting dialysis, Tenckhoff catheter is recommended. In very low birth weight newborn infants, in poor overall condition, general anesthesia is too risky, and acute peritoneal dialysis catheter should be placed (i.v. cannula, venous catheter).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Peritoneal dialysis is the method of choice in newborns with acute renal failure, and it is used in the treatment of neonatal asphyxia till the restoration of kidney function is achieved.
authors.affiliation: Institut za zdravstvenu zastitu dece i omladine Vojvodine, Novi Sad. vesnasto@eunet.yu
authors.forename: Vesna
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Stojanović
authors.forename: Aleksandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Bregun-Doronjski
authors.forename: Dusanka
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Dobanovacki
authors.forename: Smiljana
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marinković
authors.forename: Branka
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Kovacević
authors.forename: Slobodan
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Spasojević
mesh_terms: D058186:Acute Kidney Injury / Q000628:therapy*; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D010530:Peritoneal Dialysis