Mini-laparotomy implantation of peritoneal dialysis catheters: outcome and rescue.
BACKGROUND
Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis is one of the main treatments for end-stage renal disease. To correct mechanical outflow obstruction after open surgical methods of catheter insertion, laparoscopic techniques are widely employed. ♢


METHODS
Between January 2001 and December 2006, 228 open Tenckhoff catheter implantations were carried out by mini-laparotomy in 218 patients at our medical center. The procedures were all performed by an experienced surgeon, and the postoperative care, patient education, and long-term follow-up were all conducted by the same peritoneal dialysis team. ♢


RESULTS
Infection of the exit site or tunnel was the most common complication (27/228, 11.8%), followed by peritonitis (18/228, 7.9%) and refractory mechanical catheter obstruction (9/228, 3.9%). The main causes of catheter removal were successful renal transplantation (21/228, 9.2%), peritonitis (18/228, 7.9%), and infection of the exit site or tunnel (7/228, 3.1%). In the 9 cases of refractory mechanical catheter obstruction, laparoscopic surgery was performed to identify the pathology and to rescue the catheter at the same time. Omental wrapping was the major cause (8/9) of catheter obstruction, with blood clot in the lumen and tube migration occurring in the remaining case (1/9). Partial omentectomy was performed in 5 patients to prevent recurrent obstruction. Neither technique failure nor operation-related complications were noted in our laparoscopic rescue group. For 20 of the 25 patients with refractory infection of the exit site or tunnel, the salvage technique of partial re-plantation was performed, with an 85% (17/20) technique survival rate. ♢


CONCLUSIONS
With an experienced surgeon and a good postoperative care team, open paramedian placement is a simple, safe, and effective method for Tenckhoff catheter insertion, with a low complication rate. Laparoscopic surgery is effective as rescue for mechanical obstruction, and partial re-plantation is effective as salvage for exit-site or tunnel infection.
Yang
Po-Jen
PJ
Division of General Surgery, Department of Surgery, National Taiwan University Hospital, Taipei, Taiwan.
Lee
Chih-Yuan
CY
Yeh
Chi-Chuan
CC
Nien
Hsiao-Ching
HC
Tsai
Tun-Jun
TJ
Tsai
Meng-Kung
MK
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D002408:Catheters, Indwelling / Q000009:adverse effects*; D002648:Child; D015331:Cohort Studies; D020878:Device Removal / Q000379:methods; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005260:Female; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D006801:Humans; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000628:therapy*; D010535:Laparoscopy / Q000379:methods; D007813:Laparotomy / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019060:Minimally Invasive Surgical Procedures / Q000379:methods; D010531:Peritoneal Dialysis, Continuous Ambulatory / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000379:methods; D012086:Reoperation / Q000379:methods; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D018570:Risk Assessment; D016896:Treatment Outcome; D055815:Young Adult