[Peritoneal dialysis in obstetric patients]

The prevalence of acute renal failure (ARF) in obstetric patients in our country is estimated to be between 3 and 42.8%. The most important causes are preeclampsia, especially when associated with thrombotic microangiopathy and hemolysis and less frequently to hemorrhagic shock. Early peritoneal dialysis (EPD) is the temporary treatment. For these patients, 100 % recovery in renal function was observed. When ARF is associated with multiple organ failure (MOF), the reported mortality ranges between 0 and 20 %.

To describe clinical features and medical outcomes of patients treated with early peritoneal dialysis in pregnancy complicated by ARF.

A case series was conducted at the Research Unit of the Instituto Materno Infantil del Estado de México. We reviewed the cases of patients admitted to the ICU matching the criteria for ARF. They were divided into two groups: those who received EPD vs. those who did not require EPD. The most important national series were included describing the association with preeclampsia and thrombotic microangiopathy with hemolysis.

In a 5-year period, 1272 patients were admitted to the ICU; in 38 patients ARF was documented requiring peritoneal dialysis. In nine cases ARF was associated with thrombotic microangiopathy with hemolysis, two cases of stillbirth, and one case of mortality with MOF. A 100% recovery in renal function was observed in all cases, using 1.5% solution with an average of 34 dialysis treatments.

The early use of peritoneal dialysis in obstetric patients with ARF has a good prognosis.