Renal transplantation in patients with indwelling continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis catheters

Controversy exists regarding management of the continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis catheter in patients undergoing renal transplantation. We performed 30 transplants (23 cadaveric and 7 living related) in 27 patients with indwelling continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis catheters. Dialysis was necessary in the immediate post-transplantation period in 9 of 30 patients (30 per cent). Of these 9 patients 3 had temporary hemodialysis and 6 resumed continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis with the indwelling catheter. Two postoperative complications clearly were related to the continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis catheter: 1 patient required abdominal exploration for control of bleeding related to disruption of peritoneal adhesions at the time the continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis catheter was removed and 1 suffered an abscess at the catheter site 1 month after the catheter was removed. No patient experienced peritonitis during immunosuppression after transplantation. We support leaving the continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis catheter during and after transplantation to simplify pre-transplantation patient care and to avoid the possible need for temporary post-transplantation hemodialysis in many patients.