Peritoneal dialysis catheter replacement: "save the patient and not the catheter"

A 63-year-old man on ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (APD) developed peritonitis with Enterococcus faecalis, treated with 2 g intraperitoneal (IP) vancomycin, with rapid clearing of the effluent white blood cells, but persistence of positive cultures. Vancomycin was redosed on day 8 (2 g IP), and then weekly. Gentamicin 140 mg IP loading dose, followed by 40 mg IP once a day was added after cultures were still positive at 2 weeks. The two drugs were continued for six additional weeks. Although the patient was asymptomatic, the effluent cultures continued to grow E. faecalis and the catheter was replaced 2 months after the onset of peritonitis. There was no evidence of either tunnel infection or intra-abdominal abscess. Refractory peritonitis is defined as continuation of peritonitis after 5 days of appropriate therapy. This patient had persistently positive cultures but quickly became asymptomatic and signs of inflammation resolved readily. The most likely etiology appears to have been colonization of the slime layer of the intra-abdominal portion of the catheter with the organism. The vancomycin dosing schedule may have played a role in the persistently positive cultures. A recent pharmacokinetic study suggested that patients on APD require 35 mg/kg IP of vancomycin as a loading dose, followed by 15 mg/kg IP once a day, given in a long day exchange. Simultaneous placement and removal as a single procedure was successful in this patient and can be done safely in patients whose effluent white blood cell count (WBC) is less than 100/mm3. Most patients can then be subsequently managed by doing supine dialysis (using a cycler) with decreased exchange volumes and a dry abdomen until healing occurs (usually 1-2 weeks). In this way hemodialysis can be avoided. By minimizing the effect on the patient's lifestyle, the patient is more likely to agree to a catheter exchange.