The Utility of Sonographic Assessment in Selecting Patients for Percutaneous Insertion of Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter

Background Percutaneous insertion of peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheters by nephrologists is a safe and effective alternative to open surgical techniques. These patients are usually carefully selected due to anatomical considerations and medical comorbidities, with the current literature suggesting exclusion of patients with prior abdominal surgery. Method We conducted a retrospective cohort study of pre-dialysis patients who attended a preprocedural clinic in a tertiary center over 6 years. Procedural complications and catheter survival were assessed. Chi-squared test and Kaplan-Meier survival analysis were undertaken. Inpatient assessments were excluded. Results A total of 217 patients were assessed, of whom 171 (78.8%) were accepted for percutaneous PD catheter insertion by a nephrologist. The key exclusion criteria were: (1) the clinical presence of abdominal hernia (p < 0.001), (2) ultrasound findings of skin to peritoneum depth of > 5.5 cm (p < 0.001) and (3) ultrasound findings of impaired visceral slide test (p < 0.001). Prior abdominal surgery was not a default exclusion criterion (p = 0.1), as 63 patients (37%) with prior abdominal surgery, average of 1.3 prior surgeries per patient, were assessed as appropriate for the percutaneous procedure. There was no difference in the procedural complication rate and catheter survival between patients with and without prior abdominal surgery. Conclusion A comprehensive preprocedural assessment utilizing ultrasound permits an objective selection of patients for percutaneous insertion of PD catheters by nephrologists. This allowed for successful and safe percutaneous insertion of PD catheters in patients who may have otherwise been excluded, e.g., prior abdominal surgery, patients with large bilateral poly-cystic kidneys, and central obesity.