Peritoneal Dialysis (PD) Catheter

To gain a comprehensive understanding of what constitutes a PD catheter, it is imperative to first delve into the two distinct approaches to dialysis and comprehend their respective mechanisms.

Dialysis is broadly categorized into two types: hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis.

In hemodialysis, blood is extracted from your body and directed to a machine featuring a filter known as a dialyzer, often referred to as an artificial kidney. With the assistance of this machine, the dialyzer filters your blood to remove excess fluid and waste products, subsequently returning the filtered blood to your body. This intricate process involves connecting your vascular access to flexible tubes, facilitating the smooth flow of blood to and from the dialysis system. Central venous catheters, along with AV fistulas and grafts, represent the primary types of hemodialysis access.

In peritoneal dialysis, the approach differs from hemodialysis as it doesn’t involve connecting to a dialyzer. Instead, the inner lining of your abdomen, known as the peritoneal membrane, serves as a natural filter. A vascular specialist at Our Surgery Center – Long Beach, places a soft tube, referred to as a catheter, into your abdomen. Through this catheter, a sterile cleansing solution is introduced into your body. This solution plays a crucial role in the filtering process, and once the filtration is complete, the fluids are drained from your abdominal cavity using the same catheter.

At Azura Surgical Center in Long Beach, your PD catheter may be inserted in an outpatient setting through a minimally invasive procedure known as percutaneous PD catheter placement. In contrast to surgical insertion, this method is conducted under local anesthesia and sedation, utilizing the fluoroscopy imaging technique.

Fluoroscopy, a form of medical imaging, displays a continuous X-ray image on a monitor, akin to an X-ray movie. This enables your vascular specialist to observe the interior of your abdomen during the procedure. The process commences with the vascular specialist making a series of small punctures in your skin to access the inner lining of your abdomen, known as the peritoneum. The PD catheter is then guided through a small tunnel in your belly into the peritoneum and secured in place, with small cuffs keeping it in position. Once the PD catheter is inserted, sutures are placed around the catheter on the outside of your abdomen, and the site is covered with a sterile dressing. Your vascular specialist will provide instructions for keeping the area clean, similar to post-surgical placement.

Percutaneous catheters allow for dialysis exchanges within 24 hours, making this method highly effective in situations where urgent initiation of dialysis is required.