Peritoneal dialysis catheter salvage performed by nephrologists in tunnel exposure management

Tunnel exposure, a non-infectious complication, is a rare finding in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, which has been described in some case reports. Our study aimed to present catheter salvage therapy using a revision procedure of tunnel exposure by nephrologists.

Our retrospective study was conducted between July 1998 and October 2021. We identified all PD patients with tunnel exposure from a database of a tertiary medical center. Tunnel exposure was diagnosed following gross inspection by clinicians during outpatient consultations. We attempted revision with partial external cuff shaving and creating a new tunnel without catheter change.

Fourteen cases in 12 patients were diagnosed as tunnel exposure. The median age at presentation of tunnel exposure was 51 years. Eleven patients underwent revision, and the PD catheter was removed in one patient. The patients who underwent revision were followed up for 6 months. The catheter salvage rate was 72.7%.

The present study demonstrated that catheter revision performed by nephrologists could be a valuable alternative for original catheter salvage before considering catheter removal in tunnel exposure management.