Can almost anyone be managed on CAPD?

As CAPD passes its 13 year mark as an ESRD therapy, a current controversy centers on whether it is the ideal treatment choice for almost all dialysis patients. Peritoneal dialysis has changed greatly since the late 1970s and now offers safer, more effective and varied types of treatment choices for patients. Concurrently, the patient population has changed and now includes older and more multiproblem patients than in the past. While some professionals may view CAPD as the best or even the only choice for most patients, it is important to realize that CAPD may not always be the best choice for either patients or staff. This paper looks at the controversy from the standpoint of both patient and PD staff. The question is raised as to "should we" rather than "can we" manage almost anyone on CAPD?