Fluoroscopic versus laparoscopic implantation of peritoneal dialysis catheters: a retrospective cohort study.

PURPOSE: A previous clinical trial showed that radiologic insertion of first peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheters by modified Seldinger technique is noninferior to laparoscopic surgery in patients at low risk in a clinical trial setting. The present cohort study was performed to confirm clinical effectiveness of radiologic insertion in everyday practice, including insertion in patients with expanded eligibility criteria and by fellows in training. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Between 2004 and 2009, 286 PD catheters were inserted in 249 patients, 133 with fluoroscopic guidance in the radiology department and 153 by laparoscopic surgery. Survival analyses were performed with the primary outcome of complication-free catheter survival and secondary outcomes of overall catheter survival and patient survival. Outcomes were assessed at last follow-up, as long as 365 days after PD catheter insertion. RESULTS: In the radiologic group, unadjusted 365-day complication-free catheter, overall catheter, and patient survival rates were 22.6%, 81.2%, and 82.7%, respectively, compared with 22.9% (P = .52), 76.5% (P = .4), and 92.8% (P = .01), respectively, in the laparoscopic group. Frequencies of individual complications were similar between groups. Adjusting for patient age, comorbidity, and previous PD catheter, the hazard ratio (HR) for catheter complications by radiologic versus laparoscopic insertion is 0.90 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.62-1.31); the HR for overall catheter survival is 1.25 (95% CI, 0.59-2.65); and that for death is 2.47 (95% CI, 0.84-7.3). CONCLUSIONS: Radiologic PD catheter insertion is a clinically effective alternative to laparoscopic surgery, although there was poorer long-term survival with radiologic catheter placement, possibly because of preferential selection of radiologic insertion for more frail patients.

Association between antimicrobial locks for hemodialysis central venous catheters and antibiotic resistance.

Antimicrobial locks (AMLs) are effective in preventing catheter-associated bloodstream infections (CABSI) in hemodialysis (HD) patients, but may increase antibiotic resistance. In our center, gentamicin-heparin locks have been used for all HD central venous catheters since July 1, 2004. We previously reported a significant reduction in CABSI rates, but a short-term trend to increased gentamicin resistance among coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS). We present a further 3-year follow-up study of bacterial resistance in our dialysis center. We examined the susceptibility of bacterial isolates from CABSI from July 1, 2006 to July 31, 2009, restricting analyses to CNS, gram-negative bacilli, and Staphylococcus aureus. We compared the frequency of gentamicin resistance in these isolates between four groups: CABSI in HD patients, non-CABSI in HD patients, peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis (PD) patients, and bloodstream infection in the non-end-stage kidney failure general population. For CNS isolates, the frequency of gentamicin resistance was similar between the CABSI and PD peritonitis groups, but higher in both groups than the general population. The pattern was similar for S. aureus although the differences were of borderline statistical significance. The frequency of gentamicin resistance among gram-negative bacilli isolates did not differ between groups. Gentamicin resistance was more common than expected in CNS and possibly S. aureus isolates from CABSI, although this resistance may be part of a generally higher frequency of antibiotic resistance in the dialysis population, rather than a direct result of AML use. AMLs remain a valuable clinical tool although surveillance is needed to ensure that benefits continue to outweigh risks.

Effect of antimicrobial locks for tunneled hemodialysis catheters on bloodstream infection and bacterial resistance: a quality improvement report.

BACKGROUND: Catheter-restricted antimicrobial lock (AML) use reduces catheter-associated bloodstream infection (CA-BSI) in clinical trial settings, but may not be as effective in clinical settings and may increase bacterial resistance. DESIGN: Quality improvement report analyzed using a cross-sectional time series (unbalanced panel) design. SETTING & PARTICIPANTS: The study cohort comprised all prevalent adults treated with hemodialysis through a tunneled catheter for any, but not necessarily all, of the time from January 1, 2003, to June 30, 2006, in Manukau City, New Zealand (135,346 catheter-days, 404 tunneled catheters, 320 patients). QUALITY IMPROVEMENT PLAN: Catheter-restricted AMLs (heparin plus gentamicin) for all tunneled catheters from July 1, 2004. MEASURES: Repeated observations of CA-BSI, hospitalization, tunneled catheter removal, and death from CA-BSI analyzed by using generalized estimating equations with a single level of clustering for each tunneled catheter and patterns of bacterial resistance analyzed by using simple descriptive statistics. RESULTS: AML use was associated with reductions in rates of CA-BSI and hospitalization for CA-BSI by 52% and 69% for patients with tunneled catheters locked continuously with AMLs since their insertion compared with those with tunneled catheters that were not, respectively. AML exposure also was associated with a trend to increased gentamicin resistance amongst coagulase-negative staphylococci isolates, a pattern similar to that observed for BSIs in our general hemodialysis population in which tunneled catheters were not the source of BSI, but different from that in the general non-end-stage renal disease population in the region. LIMITATIONS: This is an uncontrolled observational study and cannot prove causality. The follow-up period of 18 months is longer than for other studies, but still too short to definitely answer whether AML use drives bacterial resistance. CONCLUSIONS: A change to use of AMLs may improve clinical outcomes; however, additional study of associated bacterial resistance is needed before AML use becomes standard care.