Letters1 July 1974Laparoscopic Retrieval of Dialysis CatheterCONSTANTIN COPE, M.D., F.A.C.P., MARK S. KRAMER, M.D.CONSTANTIN COPE, M.D., F.A.C.P.Search for more papers by this author, MARK S. KRAMER, M.D.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/0003-4819-81-1-121_1 SectionsAboutPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail ExcerptTo the editor: The intraperitoneal loss of a dialysis catheter is probably not uncommon (1, 2). The choice of treatment lies between leaving it in the abdomen as possibly a benign foreign body or removing it surgically. Either decision carries with it the possibility of infection, especially in chronically ill azotemic patients. This letter is the first known report of percutaneous laparoscopic retrieval of a peritoneal dialysis tube in a patient who was a poor surgical risk.A 71-year-old man on chronic hemodialysis for end-stage renal failure was admitted because of chest pain, bradycardia, and congestive heart failure. A serum...