Urgent-start peritoneal dialysis: report from a U.S. private nephrology practice

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Renal Replacement Therapy

Background:

• Late referral to nephrology often necessitates urgent renal replacement therapy.
• Hemodialysis with temporary vascular access is a common but potentially suboptimal approach for these patients.

Purpose of the Study:

• To describe the establishment and operational aspects of an urgent-start peritoneal dialysis (PD) program.
• To report initial clinical outcomes of patients managed under this urgent-start PD model.

Main Methods:

• Implementation of expedited patient education and catheter placement protocols.
• Adaptation of PD unit infrastructure and care processes for rapid initiation.
• Retrospective analysis of operational data and clinical results.

Main Results:

• The program successfully facilitated PD initiation within two weeks of catheter insertion for eligible patients.
• Operational adjustments enabled efficient patient onboarding and management.
• Initial clinical data demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of urgent-start PD.

Conclusions:

• Urgent-start PD is a viable and effective strategy for patients requiring rapid initiation of dialysis.
• Establishing an urgent-start PD program requires coordinated changes in infrastructure and care delivery.
• This model provides a valuable alternative to traditional hemodialysis for specific patient populations.