[Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis before renal transplantation]

Area of Science:

• Nephrology
• Transplantation Immunology

Background:

• Chronic renal failure necessitates renal replacement therapy.
• Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is a treatment option for end-stage renal disease.
• Assessing the safety of CAPD prior to renal transplantation is crucial.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the safety and potential complications of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) in patients undergoing renal transplantation.
• To determine if prior CAPD treatment impacts renal transplant outcomes.

Main Methods:

• Retrospective analysis of 419 renal transplantations performed between April 1979 and December 1983.
• Inclusion of 17 patients previously treated with CAPD for a mean of 13.5 months (3.2 peritonitis episodes/patient).
• Peritoneal catheter management: left in situ for 4-16 weeks post-transplant or removed during surgery for recent peritonitis.

Main Results:

• Only minor complications observed post-transplantation: one case of reversible ascites and one peritoneal breach after reintervention.
• No significant infectious complications directly attributable to prior CAPD were reported.
• The peritoneal catheter management strategy proved effective for potential post-transplant dialysis needs.

Conclusions:

• Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) is not a contraindication for renal transplantation.
• CAPD can be considered a suitable first-choice treatment for patients anticipating early renal grafting, particularly those with specific immune considerations.
• The study supports the use of CAPD as a safe and effective dialysis modality preceding kidney transplantation.