Does endoluminal brushing eliminate the need for catheter removal in peritoneal dialysis patients with persistent...

Area of Science:

• Pediatric Nephrology
• Infectious Diseases
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Recurrent peritonitis is a significant complication for children on chronic peritoneal dialysis (PD), often leading to treatment cessation.
• Refractory peritonitis cases pose a challenge in pediatric PD management, necessitating alternative therapeutic strategies.

Observation:

• This report details the clinical experience of using endoluminal brushing (EB) in three pediatric patients with persistent peritonitis during chronic PD.
• Endoluminal brushing was performed on four occasions across the three pediatric subjects.

Findings:

• Peritonitis resolved in two of the three pediatric patients following endoluminal brushing.
• One patient ultimately required the removal of their peritoneal dialysis catheter despite the intervention.
• No adverse events were reported in any of the patients post-procedure.

Implications:

• Endoluminal brushing presents a viable, less invasive option for managing persistent peritonitis in pediatric PD patients.
• Considering EB before PD catheter removal may help preserve the dialysis treatment in select pediatric cases.
• Further investigation into EB's efficacy and safety in pediatric peritonitis is warranted.