Use of cleansing agents at the peritoneal catheter exit site

Heavy bacterial colonization results in exit-site infection. Antiseptic and non antiseptic agents have both been used for exit-site cleansing. An ideal cleansing agent should not only reduce the number of microorganisms, but should also be harmless to the body's defenses and should not interfere with wound healing. In vitro studies using animal cells have demonstrated that some antiseptic agents have adverse effects on wound healing. Strong cytotoxic antiseptics should be discouraged in exit-site cleansing. In choosing an appropriate cleansing agent for exitsite care, the phase of wound healing, the condition of the exit site, and the goal of cleansing should be taken into consideration. Antimicrobial soap is recommended for cleansing a healed exit site, but biocompatible solution is preferred for the postoperative, infected, or traumatized exit site. In vivo studies on the effectiveness of some cleansing agents are still lacking, and clinical study of exit-site cleansing is needed to determine the most effective agents for the task.