CONTINUOUS AMBULATORY PERITONEAL-DIALYSIS IN PATIENTS AFTER INTRAABDOMINAL PROSTHETIC VASCULAR GRAFT-SURGERY

The purpose of this study was to assess the feasibility of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) after intra-abdominal prosthetic Vascular graft surgery. We report 8 consecutive patients with end-sta ge renal disease, who previously underwent intra-abdominal prosthetic aortic graft replacement, treated by CAPD between November 1983 and No vember 1994. All patients received a peritoneal dialysis catheter with out technical problems and were dialyzed for a total of 208 months. Si x episodes of peritonitis occurred in 4 patients without clinical evid ence of any abdominal aortic graft infection. Three patients developed intermittent claudication and 2 died of myocardial infarct. A similar peritonitis and cardiovascular complication rate was observed in a co ntrol group of age-and sex-matched CAPD patients with no aortic prosth esis. We conclude that CAPD is feasible in patients with abdominal aor tic prosthesis.