Image-Guided Approach to Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter Placement

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a vastly underused form of renal replacement therapy that offers great flexibility to the patient, breaks the cycle of tri-weekly visits to a hemodialysis center, and is associated with fewer interventions to maintain functional dialysis access. PD catheter placement allows for urgent initiation of dialysis and minimizes the unnecessary use of temporary vascular access catheters. Image-guided placement of a PD catheter by interventional radiologists that combines ultrasound and fluoroscopy is an elegant, cost saving, safe, less invasive, and at least as effective an option when compared with traditional surgical placement.