CAPD: Experience at Al Madinah Al Munawarah

CAPD is not as popular mode of renal replacement therapy (RRT) in this country as it is in the west and hence the experience with CAPD is limited. At our center 16 patients (8 Males, 8 Females) with ESRD with a mean age of 46.3 +/- 15.6 years were managed by CAPD during 1990-1994. CAPD was the first option as a renal replacement therapy (RRT) in seven (44%) and second option in nine (56%) patients. Indications for CAPD were: Vascular access problems in 10 (62.5%), cardiovascular instability in three (19%), patient preference in two (12.5%) and non-availability of nearby HD center in one (6%) patient. Standard safe leur-lock system was used for dialysis. All patients were well dialyzed with good quality of life. Peritonitis was the main complication encountered (one episode/eight patient months), cause of hospital admission and reason for returning back to hemodialysis (HD). Other complications encountered were intraperitoneal bleeding in three, accidental cutting of outline in two, leakage in one and exit site infection in one. Average survival of this method was 15 + 10.5 months (range 1-37 months). At the time of reporting this study seven patients continued to be on CAPD, six were transferred back to hemodialysis, one was transplanted and two died due to other reasons. We conclude that CAPD is an acceptable mode of RRT in this part of the world.