Streptococcus mitis Peritonitis in a Peritoneal Dialysis Patient: A Case Report Highlighting the Importance of Dental Hygiene.

Viridans-group streptococci, including the Streptococcus mitis/oralis subgroup, can cause peritoneal dialysis (PD)-related peritonitis. The link between dental pathology and PD-related peritonitis remains to be fully elucidated. We report a case of an 83-year-old man undergoing nocturnal intermittent PD due to kidney failure from diabetic nephropathy who developed S. mitis peritonitis and septicemia traced back to a periodontal abscess. Despite having no prior history of peritonitis and maintaining good nutritional status, the patient presented with generalized abdominal pain and a low-grade fever. The initial treatment included intraperitoneal antibiotics. Root cause analysis identified multiple periodontitis and dental abscesses as the primary source of infection, confirmed by DNA sequencing of cultures from the abscesses and blood, which matched S. mitis. This case highlights the critical role of oral flora in causing invasive diseases in immunocompromised individuals, including PD patients, and illustrates how dental infections can lead to PD-related peritonitis through hematogenous spread. Our case also stresses the importance of meticulous dental care and regular dental examinations to prevent such infections in PD patients.

Salvaging intraluminal peritoneal dialysis catheter obstruction from blood clot with a targeted thrombolytic agent: an innovation.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter malfunction commonly leads to the removal of the catheter and eventually to a transfer to hemodialysis. The most common cause is intraluminal obstruction caused by blood and fibrin clots. Recommended interventions include irrigation of the catheter with heparinized saline; if this method fails, thrombolytic agents may be used. Mechanical methods such as intraluminal brushing are also utilized, typically after medical treatment fails. Here, we present a case of a patient who developed an intraluminal blood clot that persisted despite attempts with intraluminal thrombolytic drugs and intraluminal brushing. To salvage the catheter, targeted thrombolysis was performed using an endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) guidewire to reinforce the coiled PD catheter and puncture the clots. Additionally, a Swing Tip cannula was employed for direct injection of the thrombolytic agent. These interventions successfully preserved the catheter, resolving the clot and ensuring continued functionality.

Nurse-based educational interventions in patients with peritoneal dialysis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Background: Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is a major renal replacement therapy modality for patients with end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) worldwide. As poor self-care of PD patients could lead to serious complications, including peritonitis, exit-site infection, technique failure, and death; several nurse-based educational interventions have been introduced. However, these interventions varied and have been supported by small-scale studies so the effectiveness of nurse-based educational interventions on clinical outcomes of PD patients has been inconclusive. Objectives: To evaluate the effectiveness of nurse-based education interventions in PD patients. Design: A systematic review and meta-analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs). Methods: We performed a systematic search using PubMed, Embase, and CENTRAL up to December 31, 2021. Selection criteria included Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs) relevant to nurse-based education interventions in ESKD patients with PD in the English language. The meta-analyses were conducted using a random-effects model to evaluate the summary outcomes of peritonitis, PD-related infection, mortality, transfer to hemodialysis, and quality of life (QoL). Results: From 9,816 potential studies, 71 theme-related abstracts were selected for further full-text articles screening against eligibility criteria. As a result, eleven studies (1,506 PD patients in seven countries) were included in our systematic review. Of eleven studies, eight studies (1,363 PD patients in five countries) were included in the meta-analysis. Sleep QoL in the intervention group was statistically significantly higher than control (mean difference = 12.76, 95% confidence intervals 5.26-20.27). There was no difference between intervention and control groups on peritonitis, PD-related infection, HD transfer, and overall QoL. Conclusions: Nurse-based educational interventions could help reduce some PD complications, of which only the sleep QoL showed statistically significant improvement. High-quality evidence on the nurse-based educational interventions was limited and more RCTs are needed to provide more robust outcomes. Tweetable abstract: Nurse-based educational interventions showed promising sleep quality improvement and potential peritonitis risk reduction among PD patients.

Transcatheter Examination of the Peritoneal Dialysis Catheter with the SpyGlass Direct Visualization System: A New Aid in Diagnosis and Salvation of Ultrafiltration Failure from Partial Catheter Obstruction.

Mechanical complications in peritoneal dialysis (PD), including intraluminal clogging of the PD catheter by fibrin, omentum, or blood clot, are major causes of outflow problems and, in rare cases, lead to technical failure. To visualize an intraluminal image of patients undergoing PD with ineffective ultrafiltration (UF), a SpyGlass fiber optic probe was inserted into the catheter, together with SpyBite biopsy forceps, should the removal of clogging materials be needed. Applying these transcatheter devices in 2 PD patients with unexplained UF failure led to the demonstration of omental plugging at the catheter tip in the first patient and demonstration of intraluminal blood clots in the second patient from whom clots were removal successfully. Both patients achieved better UF volume thereafter without procedure-related complications.

Extended Peritoneal Dialysis and Renal Recovery in HIV-Infected Patients with Prolonged AKI: A Report of 2 Cases.

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) has recently been established as a treatment option for renal replacement therapy (RRT) in patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). Its efficacy in providing fluid and small solute removal has also been demonstrated in clinical trials and is equivalent to hemodialysis (HD). However, effect of RRT modality on renal recovery after AKI remains a controversy. Moreover, the setting of human immunodeficiency virus- (HIV-) infected patients with AKI requiring RRT makes the decision on RRT initiation and modality selection more complicated. The authors report here 2 cases of HIV-infected patients presenting with severe AKI requiring protracted course of acute RRT. PD had been performed uneventfully in both cases for 4-9 months before partial renal recovery occurred. Both patients eventually became dialysis independent but were left in chronic kidney disease (CKD) stage 4. These cases highlight the example of renal recovery even after a prolonged course of dialysis dependence. Thus, PD might be a suitable option for HIV patients with protracted AKI.

(1→3)-ß-d-Glucan and Galactomannan for Differentiating Chemical "Black Particles" and Fungal Particles Inside Peritoneal Dialysis Tubing.

UNLABELLED: ♦ BACKGROUND: Aseptic, sheet-like foreign bodies observed inside Tenckhoff (TK) catheter lumens (referred to as "black particles") are, on gross morphology, hardly distinguishable from fungal colonization because these contaminants adhere tightly to the catheter. Detection of fungal cell wall components using (1→3)-ß-d-glucan (BG) and galactomannan index (GMI) might be an alternative method for differentiating the particles. ♦ METHODS: Foreign particles retrieved from TK catheters in 19 peritoneal dialysis patients were examined microscopically and cultured for fungi and bacteria. Simultaneously, a Fungitell test (Associates of Cape Cod, Falmouth, MA, USA) and a Platelia Aspergillus ELISA assay (Bio-Rad Laboratories, Marnes-La-Coquette, France) were used to test the spent dialysate for BG and GMI respectively. ♦ RESULTS: Of the 19 patients, 9 had aseptic black particles and 10 had fungal particles in their tubing. The fungal particles looked grainy, were tightly bound to the catheter, and appeared more "colorful" than the black particles, which looked sheet-like and could easily be removed by milking the tubing. Compared with effluent from patients having aseptic particles, effluent from patients with fungal particles had significantly higher levels of BG (501 ± 70 pg/mL vs. 46 ± 10 pg/mL) and GMI (10.98 ± 2.17 vs. 0.25 ± 0.05). Most of the fungi that formed colonies inside the catheter lumen were molds not usually found in clinical practice, but likely from water or soil, suggesting environmental contamination. Interestingly, in all 10 patients with fungal colonization, visualization of black particles preceded a peritonitis episode and TK catheter removal by approximately 1-3 weeks; in patients with aseptic particles, a 17-week onset to peritonitis was observed. ♦ CONCLUSIONS: In all patients with particle-coated peritoneal dialysis tubing, spent dialysate should be screened for BG and GMI. Manipulation of the TK catheter by squeezing, hard flushing, or even brushing to dislodge black particles should be avoided. Replacement of the TK catheter should be suspended until a cause for the particles is determined.

From the "PD First" policy to the innovation in PD care.

OBJECTIVE: Due to the rapid growth of peritoneal dialysis (PD) program under the "PD First" policy of Thailand, it is necessary to have many voluntary well-training PD staffs and a good education program for PD nurses to serve an excellent PD outcome. In the present study novel devices, which could be practically used in PD patients, were developed by the creative PD trainee idea of to facilitate PD self-care and decrease work load of PD staffs. MATERIAL AND METHOD: Young PD nurses in the 3rd generation of PD trainee program from King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital were assigned to develop novel tools in order to assisting patient care in real practice. The efficacy of these inventions and patient satisfaction were assessed by comparing with the standard method. RESULTS: The authors presented two interesting innovations in the present study. The first one, "Troubleshooting Wheel", contained six common complaints and the advice for correcting each problem in the platform of rotating wheel. Participants could solve problems more rapidly than using the standard handbook for PD (p < 0.01) and also found the correct responses more frequently than the handbook (p < 0.01). The second one, "Exit Site Abacus", the sliding platform with automatic calculation of the sum of exit site score, was the easier method in evaluating the exit site infection than the conventional exit site scoring using the Prowant's table or their own memory. CONCLUSION: Reinforcement of the development of PD nursing program not only increases the number of PD staffs but also contributes to the innovations for improving quality of PD care by the young new staffs.

Measurement of vascular access flow by online clearance monitor in online hemodiafiltration.

BACKGROUND: Measurement of ionic dialysance has been shown to accurately determine urea dialyzer clearance and vascular access flow rate (Qa) in diffusive hemodialysis. Recently, online clearance monitoring (OCM) in an online hemodiafiltration (OL-HDF) machine could accurately measure urea dialyzer clearance. In the present study, OCM was utilized to assess the Qa in OL-HDF. METHODS: In 32 stable end-stage renal disease patients undergoing predilution OL-HDF, the values of Qa measured by the OCM technique (Qa(OCMT)) in a Fresenius 4008H HDF machine were compared with those determined by the standard ultrasound dilution technique (Qa(UDT)). RESULTS: The values of Qa(UDT) and Qa(OCMT) measured at the beginning of the HDF session were 800.5 ± 910.3 and 794.6 ± 895.4 ml/min (nonsignificant). There was a significant correlation between the two techniques (r = 0.95, p < 0.01). A Bland-Altman plot demonstrated a good agreement. CONCLUSION: The vascular access flow determined by OCM, which is integrated mostly in the current HDF machine, is highly accurate, easy to perform, and economical and can be used for vascular access surveillance in OL-HDF.