Continuous flow peritoneal dialysis: Is there a need for it?

Automated peritoneal dialysis (APD) is the fastest growing technique of per itoneal dialysis. However, recently APD has displayed some limitations impo sed by the characteristics of the technique and by the characteristics of t he peritoneal membrane of some patients. In general, the advent of a new te chnique such as continuous flow peritoneal dialysis (CFPD) should be seen a s a benefit for several patients based on different considerations: CFPD is a high-efficiency technique which could overcome some of the limitations i mposed by other techniques in terms of adequacy targets and performance. CF PD may become a useful tool to keep patients on PD who would otherwise be t ransferred to hemodialysis. CFPD may present advantages in terms of biocomp atibility and also in terms of the possible modulation of the peritoneal so lution to patient needs. Recent developments in technology seem to have mad e CFPD easily feasible and well tolerated. A new era of PD is probably begi nning and CFPD will definitely represent one of the key issues in the futur e of PD.