Factors associated with early peritoneal dialysis catheter malfunction.

BACKGROUND: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter obstruction often leads to surgical revision and may require transition to hemodialysis. The purpose of this study was to evaluate risk factors (including omentectomy) associated with early PD catheter obstruction (<6 months from insertion).

METHODS: A retrospective review of all PD catheters inserted at a single high-volume referral center (2005-2018) was performed. 185 PD catheters were placed in 123 patients (45 female). Potential risk factors for early catheter obstruction were analyzed using Chi-square analysis (p < 0.05 considered statistically significant).

RESULTS: Median age at catheter insertion was 3.42 years (3 days-39 years). Early catheter obstruction occurred in 42 cases (22.7%). Median time to early obstruction was 24 days (3-118 days). Previous PD catheter placement (p = 0.9) or prior abdominal surgery (p = 0.89) was not associated with obstruction. Weight ≥ 10 kg (p = 0.011) and age ≥ 1 year (p = 0.048) were associated with a significantly higher incidence of obstruction. Overall, omentectomy was associated with a trend in reduction of early obstruction in patients with weight ≥ 10 kg (p = 0.08) and significantly in patients ≥1 year (p = 0.028).

CONCLUSION: Early PD catheter obstruction appears to occur more often in older patients with a higher weight. Concomitant omentectomy seems beneficial at reducing early catheter obstruction events in those patients.

TYPE OF STUDY: Retrospective comparative study.

LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III.