A novel method of laparoscopy-assisted peritoneal dialysis catheter placement

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a widely used renal replacement therapy for end-stage renal disease patients. We compared our novel laparoscopic-assisted method with conventional procedures in the catheter survival and complications. Seventy-three patients who underwent PD catheter placement were enrolled in this study. Our laparoscopic methods were characterized with smaller incision and additional fixation in the lower abdomen. Catheter migration developed in 4 patients in the conventional group compared with none in the laparoscopic group. The catheter dysfunction-free survival was significantly longer among the patients in the laparoscopic group than that in the conventional group (P=0.001). There were no significant differences between the 2 groups in peritonitis, exit-site hematoma, or exit-site infection. Laparoscopy-assisted PD catheter insertion with an intraperitoneal loop fixation is safe and provides good maintenance of catheter function (See the video, Supplemental Digital Content 1, http://links.lww.com/SLE/A28).