Testing the safety of non-disconnect disposable Y sets for peritoneal dialysis

In order to test the efficacy of the Del Clamp as a contamination barrier, the following protocol was carried out. Sixty bags of dialysate (1.5 L, 1.5% Dextrose) were connected to matching disposable Y sets and 100 mL of dialysate allowed to flow into each drain bag, after which the clamps were closed. The bags were arranged in groups of 10 and each group was inoculated with 1 mL of a standard suspension of S. aureus, S. epidermidis, E. coli, E. faecalis, P. aeruginosa and C. albicans, respectively. 3 bags were inoculated and left with the clamp open as controls. After 6 hr, incubation at 37 degrees C, 20 mL duplicate samples from each drain bag were centrifugated and processed for anaerobic and aerobic culture. None of the specimens taken from the sets grew bacteria or fungi. All the drain bags of the control sets grew the inoculated organism. We conclude that the Del Clamp makes CAPD safer by working as an effective contamination barrier and eliminating a potential for combination during the dialysis exchange.