A modified peritoneal dialysis catheter with a new technique: Farewell to catheter migration

Abstract

To evaluate the efficacy our new, three-cuff peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter, with the low-entry technique and to study its impact on catheter survival and mechanical and infectious complications, we prospectively used it in 36 incident PD patients and compared the results with those of conventional double-cuff PD Tenckhoff catheters with the classic approach used in 37 patients. The study was carried out at our university hospital over a period of 18 months. At the end of the study, significantly higher survival rate was observed with the use of new catheter compared with the conventional two-cuff Tenckhoff catheter, 91.7% and 73%, respectively, (P <0.01); the difference in catheter survival was due to a lower incidence (P < 0.01) of catheter-tip migration and a lower incidence (P <0.01) of peritonitis. Dialysis fill and drain times were significantly shorter and Kt/V was better with our new catheter. In conclusion, the study suggests superiority of our new catheter and our new technique over the conventional one in terms of catheter survival. This is due to less incidences of catheter tip migration in addition to lower peritonitis rates. Dialysis adequacy was better because of shortened fill and drain time.