Timing for Removal of Peritoneal Dialysis Catheters in Pediatric Renal Transplant Patients.

OBJECTIVES Peritoneal dialysis, the preferred long-term renal replacement modality in the pediatric population, can also be used during the post transplant period. Although it is well known that peritonitis or other complications may occur related to the peritoneal dialysis catheter, less is known about complications related to the peritoneal dialysis during the posttransplant period. Our objective was to evaluate the complications related to use of a peritoneal dialysis catheter during the posttransplant period and to determine the optimum time for removal of the peritoneal dialysis catheter. MATERIALS AND METHODS We retrospectively analyzed 33 chronic peritoneal dialysis patients. Pretransplant and posttransplant demographics and clinical and laboratory data for each patient were recorded, including incidence of peritonitis and incidence of peritoneal dialysis catheter requirement after transplant. RESULTS Mean age of patients at transplant was 12.8 ± 4.0 years (range, 3.5-18.0 y). Mean catheter removal time was 81.1 ± 36.2 days (range, 22.0-152.0 d). The peritoneal dialysis catheter was used in 6 of 33 patients (18.2%); none of these patients developed peritonitis. In contrast, 2 of the 27 patients who did not use the peritoneal dialysis catheter developed peritonitis. Our data suggest that the need for catheter use occurs predominantly during the first month, and infectious complications usually happen later. CONCLUSIONS Previously, the trend was to not remove the peritoneal dialysis catheter at the time of transplant. However, in light of recent literature and our present study, we recommend that the time of catheter removal should be modified and decided for each patient on an individual basis.