Effective continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis following abdominal aortic aneurysm repair

To review a single center's experience with the initiation and maintenance of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) in 8 patients with a history of abdominal aortic aneurysm repair (AAAR).

Retrospective case review with long-term follow-up.

Eight patients with multiple medical problems including a history of abdominal aortic aneurysm repair and end-stage renal failure who received peritoneal dialysis catheters between December 1986 and July 1991.

Success of catheter implantation and maintenance of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis; incidence of peritoneal infection and long-term complications; overall clinical course.

Over five years 8 patients with a history of reconstructed abdominal aortic aneurysm received peritoneal dialysis catheters without complication and dialyzed successfully for 88 patient-months in total. Three patients had a total of five episodes of peritonitis, at an incidence of 0.68 episodes per patient per year, a rate not significantly different from that of our overall CAPD patient population (1.09) and that reported by other groups.

Our experience suggests that historical AAAR poses no significant risk to and should not preclude the implementation of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis. Indeed, CAPD offers a safe and optimal dialytic alternative for patients with historical abdominal aortic aneurysm repair in whom compromised cardiovascular hemodynamics may significantly influence morbidity and survival.