Catheter Diversion Procedure With Exit-Site Renewal Promotes Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter Survival

Catheter-related infections such as exit site infection (ESI) and tunnel infection (TI) are major causes of peritoneal dialysis (PD) discontinuation. For ESI/TI treatment, catheter diversion procedure (CDP) with exit-site renewal for catheter salvage presents an alternative to catheter removal. Nevertheless, CDP capability of improving PD catheter survival remains unclear. We retrospectively reviewed our hospital patients who started PD during 2001–2019 (n=148): 33 treated for ESI/TI by CDP (CDP group) and 115 treated for ESI/TI using conservative therapy or none (non-CDP group). A “virtual discontinuation group” was designated for patients in the CDP group who had received PD catheter removal instead of CDP and who had stopped PD. Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test PD were used for intergroup catheter survival comparison. Associations between clinical factors and PD discontinuation or death were examined using Cox proportional hazards regression analyses. For patients (76% male, mean age of 61.7±13.0 years), 40 CDP were performed for 33 CDP group patients. Infection-free rates at 30 and 90 days after CDP were, respectively, 90% and 67%. The CDP group PD catheter survival rate was significantly higher than that of virtual discontinuation group (P < .01) and higher than that of the non-CDP group (P = .03). Multivariate analysis revealed independent association of serum albumin concentration (hazard ratio 0.33, 95% confidence interval 0.17–0.67), PD+HD combination therapy (hazard ratio 0.29, 95% confidence interval 0.17–0.49), and CDP (hazard ratio 0.44, 95% confidence interval 0.24–0.80) with PD discontinuation or death. Results show that CDP may improve PD catheter survival as an effective and less-invasive surgical treatment for ESI/TI to avoid withdrawal of PD. [Display omitted]