Follow-up study to assess line changes with peritonitis
Richmond, D.J.; Giminez, L.F.; Reft, C.
Advances in Peritoneal Dialysis. Conference on Peritoneal Dialysis 6: 148-149
1990
ISSN/ISBN: 1197-8554 PMID: 1982796 Document Number: 355852
Most centers change the transfer set each time a patient develops peritonitis. The underlying rationale is that development of intraluminal biofilm may favor the adherence of microorganisms to the transfer set and reinfect the patient. The purpose of this study was to assess the necessity of a line change with each episode of peritonitis. We examined 63 consecutive episodes of peritonitis which occurred over a period of 58 months in 23 of our CAPD patients. Each patient performed 3 to 4 exchanges per day. Two patients used the Abbott sterile connection device, the remainder used a Baxter system. In 33 of these episodes a line change was performed (group A) and in 30 it was not (group B). The follow-up period after each episode of peritonitis was 4 weeks. There were 3 episodes of relapsing peritonitis (same organism within 4 weeks of termination of antibiotic treatment) at 3 weeks after finishing intraperitoneal antibiotic therapy in group A and no episodes of relapsing peritonitis in group B. In conclusion, according to our data it appears that a line change may not always be necessary for the adequate management of peritonitis in CAPD patients.