Four-year experience with swan neck presternal peritoneal dialysis catheter

The swan neck presternal catheter is composed of two flexible (silicon rubber) tubes joined by a titanium connector at the time of implantation. The exit site is located in the presternal or parasternal area. The catheter located on the chest was designed to reduce the incidence of exit site infections compared with peritoneal dialysis catheters with abdominal exit sites. From August 1991 to May 1995, 24 swan neck presternal catheters have been implanted in 24 patients for the following reasons: obesity nine patients, ostomies three patients, a suprapubic catheter one patient, previous problems with abdominal catheters two patients, desire to use a bathtub five patients, need to use a whirlpool one patient, need to wear sweatpants with an elastic waistband one patient, and body image two patients. In the same period, 47 abdominal swan neck catheters were implanted in 44 patients who preferred catheters with the exit on the abdomen. Presternal catheters tended to perform better regarding exit and tunnel infections, even though they were implanted in several patients in whom regular catheters with the exit on the abdomen would be difficult or impossible to implant. Two-year survival probability of presternal catheters was 0.88 +/- 0.14 (+/- SE). Recurrent/refractory peritonitis was the only reason of catheter failure. The differences in results between presternal and abdominal catheters were statistically insignificant; only the use of antibiotics to treat exit site infection was significantly higher with abdominal catheters. Patient acceptance of the exit position was good; at least seven patients preferred presternal catheter for psychological or body image reasons. We conclude that the swan neck presternal catheters provide excellent results comparable to those achieved with swan neck abdominal catheters. The catheter seems suitable for any patient commencing peritoneal dialysis and is particularly useful in extremely obese patients (body mass index > 40 kg/m2) and those with ostomies. The catheter exit location in the chest may be preferred by some patients, both men and women, for psychological or body image reasons. No specific contraindications to the presternal catheter implantation have been identified.