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While working outside in our North Texas heat yesterday, I pondered over my peritoneal dialysis situation and all that it entails. While there is a gross amount of activity requiring sustained attention to detail, ranging from turning on the heater for my afternoon static fill to making certain I order the correct amount of supplies, these all beg the question posed by the title of this blog, “What is THE MOST IMPORTANT?

I turned to Perplexity with the question with the following results that while intuitive, bear repeating herein:

The single most important thing a patient on peritoneal dialysis has to consistently do is maintain proper hygiene and sterile technique when performing exchanges to prevent infection, particularly peritonitis[1][4].

Peritonitis is one of the most serious complications of peritoneal dialysis. It can lead to hospitalization, scarring of the peritoneal membrane, reduced effectiveness of dialysis, and in severe cases, the need to switch to hemodialysis[4].

To prevent infection, patients must:

  1. Thoroughly wash and dry their hands before handling the catheter or performing exchanges
  2. Use sterile equipment and supplies
  3. Carefully follow the proper steps for connecting and disconnecting the dialysis bags
  4. Clean the catheter exit site daily
  5. Check for signs of infection like cloudy dialysis fluid, abdominal pain, or fever

Consistent adherence to sterile technique and proper catheter care is crucial for the success of peritoneal dialysis and the patient’s overall health[1][4]. Patients receive extensive training on these procedures before starting home peritoneal dialysis to ensure they can perform them correctly and safely.

Citations:
[1] https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/peritoneal-dialysis/about/pac-20384725
[2] https://www.niddk.nih.gov/health-information/kidney-disease/kidney-failure/peritoneal-dialysis
[3] https://www.uptodate.com/contents/peritoneal-dialysis-beyond-the-basics
[4] https://www.kidney.org/sites/default/files/docs/peritonealdialysis.pdf
[5] https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK532979/