Need of a partner on home peritoneal dialysis (HPD): incidence and an alternative choice

Among 63 patients (pts) on HPD 26 (41.7%) had need of a partner (PN) in conducting dialysis. In most cases the role of a partner is performed by the consort (26.9%) or by a son or daughter (19.3%). Forty-four percent of all partners worked in the home. The PN is significantly higher (P = 0.0001) in pts aged 65 or more. The most frequent cause of PN (38.6%) was a memory and learning deficiency (MLD) of the exact sequence of dialysis maneuvers, in particular in elderly pts. The Talking Cricket (TC), a tape recorder device with a series of automated and safety features, conceived and settled in our center to guide the patient through the dialysis procedures at home, represents a valid alternative choice to the partner in pts with MLD. Seven pts with MLD, aged between 69 and 80 years, used the TC at home with a Y-set with Amuchina. During a follow-up of 84.4 months we observed 3 peritonitis episodes, 4 accidental infusions of disinfectant in to the peritoneal cavity; and 3 pts discontinued the use of the TC. The TC has been used in the hospital to train 5 pts undergoing CAPD: standardization and uniformity of teaching facilitates both learning by the patients and teaching by the nurses.