A prospective randomized comparison of the Swan neck, coiled, and straight Tenckhoff catheters in patients on CAPD

Our objective was to study the impact of peritoneal catheter configuration on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD)-related infections, mechanical complications, and patient dropout in a prospective randomized trial. Forty consecutive patients who were commencing CAPD were randomized to receive either a double-cuff, Swan neck coiled catheter or a double-cuff, straight Tenckhoff catheter, implanted by surgical technique. There was no significant difference in the peritonitis rate between the two groups. There was a lower rate of exit-site infection in the Swan neck group compared to the straight catheter group (0.29 vs 0.60 episodes/patient-year, p < 0.05). Catheter-tip migration occurred in 3 patients with the straight catheters compared to one patient with the Swan neck catheter. No patient had to discontinue CAPD because of mechanical complications. The number of CAPD patient dropouts was not significantly different between the two groups. The Swan neck configuration resulted in a significant reduction in the rate of exit-site infections. The coiled component of the catheter may lead to fewer episodes of catheter-tip migration. However, catheter configuration did not influence the number of technique failures.