Objective: Peritoneal dialysis is a widely used renal replacement therapy for end-stage renal disease (ESRD). This study aims to evaluate the duration of use and complications associated with peritoneal dialysis catheters (PDC) placed using an open surgical method in a single-center experience.
Materials and Methods: This study included 127 ESRD patients who underwent PDC placement between 2018 and 2023. We analyzed the patients’ clinical and demographic data, the reasons for transitioning to hemodialysis, and the complications leading to this transition. Patients with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or higher were considered obese, and the impact of this condition on complications was specifically investigated. The PDC placement using the open surgical method was performed by the same surgical team.
Results: Of the 127 patients who had PDCs placed in the last five years, approximately 55.1% experienced various complications, leading to a transition to hemodialysis in 31 patients. Reasons for switching included catheter-related problems (35.4%), peritonitis (25.8%), ultrafiltration failure (19.3%), dialysis inadequacy (6.4%), and hernia (3.2%). No significant change in the overall risk of complications was observed in patients with a BMI of 30 or higher; however, a significant increase in the risk of peritonitis was noted in these patients.
Conclusion: The open surgical method is a preferred technique for PDC placement due to its ease of application and low complication rates. Notably, in patients with a BMI of 30 or higher, an increase in infection-related complications, such as peritonitis, was observed. Therefore, greater attention should be devoted to managing infection-related complications in the use of PDCs among obese patients.