Home remedies in peritoneal dialysis: genius or madness.

Abstract

Rupture of the peritoneal catheter extension is a rare complication in peritoneal dialysis. We report a case of a 75-year-old male with chronic kidney disease of unknown aetiology on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis for 5 months. While manipulating the catheter for the drainage of the first exchange in the morning, the catheter extension broke. In order to not interrupt the drainage, the patient inserted a cylinder of plastic, a straw he had found in his home, as shown in the picture (Figure ​(Figure1).1). The quality of this home remedy showed more than acceptable results, due to the similarity of the cylinder with the catheter in terms of thickness and consistency, so the patient could complete the drainage and the next infusion. Fig. 1. Home remedy with a straw as part of the catheter extension. Once the patient was disconnected, he came to our peritoneal dialysis unit for the replacement of the catheter extension, proud of having solved the problem himself. Prophylactic antibiotic and antifungal treatment was prescribed and the patient, fortunately, did not develop peritonitis. Was this a work of genius or a work of madness?