Tuberculous Peritonitis in a CAPD Patient Cured Without Catheter Removal: Case Report, Review of the Literature, and Guidelines for Treatment and Diagnosis

Tuberculous peritonitis in the chronic peritoneal dialysis patient carries a high mortality, which may reflect the diagnostic delay that is often encountered in these cases. Accordingly, a high index of suspicion and an aggressive diagnostic approach (which may include laparoscopic biopsy) should be applied to the patient with persistent culture negative peritonitis. One of the first continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) cases involving tuberculous peritonitis successfully treated without interruption of dialysis or removal of the peritoneal dialysis catheter is reported. The literature is reviewed to provide diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines in dealing with this serious infection.