Intraperitoneal deferoxamine is a well-established treatment for alumi
num accumulation syndrome in patients with end-stage renal disease rec
eiving peritoneal dialysis, but the use of intraperitoneal deferoxamin
e has not been described outside of the setting of chronic renal failu
re. We present here a case of secondary hemochromatosis, complicated b
y cirrhosis and cardiomyopathy, in which a chronic peritoneal dialysis
catheter was used both to treat ascites and to deliver parenteral def
eroxamine for iron overload. Daily urinary iron excretion was similar
to that achieved when using standard routes of deferoxamine administra
tion. Over a 2-year period, reversal of both the biochemical indicator
s and the clinical manifestations of iron overload was accomplished.