Peritoneal dialysis in children: Review of surgical techniques

Peritoneal dialysis has become an effective and widely used technique for the treatment of patients with end-stage renal disease. Peritoneal dialysis has become more practical for use in pediatric patients since equipment and techniques have been adapted for smaller patients. In the present work we describe the surgical technique that we currently use at our institution for surgical placement of peritoneal dialysis catheter. From January 1985 to January 1992, 19 peritoneal catheters were placed in 17 children, at the Bambino Gesù Children's Hospital. At the time of catheter insertion the average weight of the children was 14.2 kg., and the average age was 4 y. 10m. Peritoneal dialysis catheters were always placed under sterile conditions, in an operating room or in a pediatric ICU, with surgical technique. Regarding our surgical technique we recommend: 1) to use Tenckhoff catheter, 2 cuffs pigtail (curled) type; 2) to perform a minilaparatomy with lateral surgical approach and a routine omentectomy; 3) to create a submuscular tunnel (rectus abdominis) to reduce the leakaqe of peritoneal dialysis fluid. Furthermore the various clinical problems encountered in our experience and some surgical guidelines for the prevention of complications are reviewed.