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This book provides new research on peritoneal dialysis (PD). Chapter One reviews the practices and principles of peritoneal dialysis. Chapter Two focuses on various preventive measures of PD-related infections. Chapter Three discusses combined intermittet peritoneal dialysis and intestinal dialysis in the developing world. Chapter Four describes the use of peritoneal dialysis therapy for chronic heart failure. Chapter Five emphasizes on the indications and contraindications of PD and its advantages over hemodialysis. Chapter Six provides an update about the current knowledge in uremic FGF-23-klotho axis disorder and some therapies alternative are displayed.

Not only are dialysis access creation and maintenance prone to complications, but patients suffering from end-stage renal disease and its comorbidities generally have a high risk of adverse events during their continuous treatment. Preventive strategies are key to avoid harm and to improve the outcome of the treatment of the growing number of patients with chronic kidney failure, especially as doctors and nurses are not always aware of the consequences of unsafe behavior. This publication is intended for health care professionals – nurses as well as doctors – and aims to raise the awareness of patient safety aspects, combining medical education with evidence-based medicine. After a general overview of the topic, an international panel of authors provides a diversified insight into important concepts and technical tricks essential to create and maintain a functional dialysis access.

This book reviews important literature to provide insight into the mechanisms and technical aspects of peritoneal dialysis (PD). PD is a harshly under-utilized modality of renal replacement. Continuous PD can enjoy weekly solute clearances approaching those with hemodialysis. Recent clinical research data indicates at least an initial survival advantage as well as better preservation of residual renal function of patients started on PD as compared to those initiated on hemodialysis. Recent advances in knowledge of mechanisms and new technological advances including development of advanced dialysis solutions have potential to improvise PD to extend its initial survival advantage to long-term treatment.

When the external Quinton-Scribner arteriovenous shunt was developed in 1960, and, a little later, the internal Brescia-Cimino arteriovenous fistula was developed as a vascular access for hemodialysis, thereby making possible regular dialysis therapy of chronic uremic patients, many nephrologists became surgeons, having learned the type of vascular surgery related to hemodialysis quite well. The same series of events occurred with regards to peritoneal dialysis with the introduction of the Tenckhoff catheter and the need for gaining a permanent access to the peritoneum for chronic ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) therapy. With time, however, problems relating to vascular and peritoneal access have forced many nephrologists to give up their surgery; meanwhile, many surgeons have become quite expert in some sophisticated techniques relating to dial ysis (e. g., vessel grafting, prosthesis implantation, etc.). Today, whether or not involved in this type of surgery, both nephrologists and surgeons remain interested in knowing all available access devices for dialysis as well as the surgical techniques involved. However, all nephrologists involved in dialysis must know how to prevent or treat complications related to dialysis access. Thus, it appeared to me to be quite advisable to have a book in my series, Topics in Renal Medicine, dealing with vascular and peritoneal access for dialysis.