Malfunctioning Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter Repaired by Laparoscopic Surgery

Objectives: To review peritoneal dialysis catheter failures and to describe a technique of repairing malpositioned catheters.

Design: Two prospective case reports utilizing this technique are reported.

Setting: A tertiary care hospital.

Patients: Two patients on chronic peritoneal dialysis with malfunctioning catheters.

Intervention: Both patients underwent reposition of their malpositioned continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis catheters by laparoscopic suture technique.

Main Outcome Measures: Outcome was measured by the successful return of adequate peritoneal dialysis.

Results: Both case studies show correction of malpositioned catheters with the return of successful peritoneal dialysis.

Conclusion: The repositioning and suture application of malpositioned Tenckhoff catheters by laparoscopic surgery is a viable technique that can salvage the majority of malpositioned catheters and save the patients additional hospital time and recovery.