CAPD patients as renal transplant patients

Most authors state that the continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patient is not at increased risk when transplanted. These patients are always exposed to the risk of peritonitis, which may increase if patients are peritoneally dialyzed while immunosuppressed. The postoperative course of patients transplanted from our CAPD program from 1979 through August 1985 was evaluated. The transplant survival of patients dialyzed by CAPD, home hemodialysis, and at a free-standing dialysis facility were compared. Pretransplant dialysis modality did not influence long-term transplant success. Three of seven patients who required dialysis postoperatively developed peritonitis. The dialysis catheter was removed in two patients and one was treated by lavaging the peritoneal cavity with antibiotics. There was one instance of dialysate leaking through a drain in the transplant bed. This patient was converted to hemodialysis for subsequent dialysis. The dialysis catheters were removed at the time of discharge from hospital. Literature review confirmed this experience. Peritoneal dialysis post-transplant exposes the patient to a 10-33% risk of peritonitis and a 10% risk of a wound complication. Peritoneal dialysis patients are subject to risks unique to peritoneal dialysis. These complications do not translate into excessive morbidity or graft loss.