Comparison of peritoneal dialysis catheter insertion techniques by nephrologists: Surgical vs blind methods

The aim of the present study was to perform a comparative analysis of peritoneal dialysis catheter (PDC) insertion between blind and surgical methods by nephrologists.

The present study enrolled 249 peritoneal dialysis patients who received first-time PDC insertion. All PDC insertions were performed using either the blind or surgical method. In our hospital during the study period, two of three nephrologists performed the blind method routinely in all eligible patients (blind group), and one of three nephrologists performed the surgical method in all eligible patients (surgical group). Catheter outcomes, including infectious or mechanical complications, functional parameters, and catheter survival, were evaluated.

The numbers of patients underwent surgical or blind methods were 105 and 144, respectively. The use of systemic analgesics in the surgical group was higher than that in the blind group. The operation time was longer in the blind group than in the surgical group. The D0 level and peritoneal Kt/V were similar between the two groups. There was no significant difference in infectious and mechanical complications between the two groups. The catheter survival and intervention-free survival were similar between the two groups (P = .995 for catheter survival and P = .723 for intervention-free survival).

Our study shows that catheter outcomes are similar between blind and surgical insertion techniques performed by nephrologists. These findings reveal that patients without previous major abdominal surgery would be suitable to receive any one of the two methods according to the operator-friendly technique.