Peritoneal dialysis catheter function and survival are not adversely affected by obesity regardless of the operative technique used.

BACKGROUND

Obesity has been considered a relative contraindication to peritoneal dialysis (PD). Surprisingly, PD catheter dysfunction rates and longevity have not been studied in the growing obese ESRD population. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of patient weight on PD catheter survival in the three insertion technique categories of advanced laparoscopy (AL), basic laparoscopy (BL), and open.

METHODS

We examine retrospectively collected data on 231 consecutive PD catheter insertions at the NorthShore University HealthSystem between 2004 and 2014. Three cohorts were created based on the catheter insertion technique: open, BL using selective adhesiolysis, and AL using rectus sheath tunnel, selective omentopexy, and adhesiolysis. Primary outcomes included catheter dysfunction and catheter dysfunction-free survival for each cohort by BMI: normal weight (18.5-24.9), overweight (25-29.9), obese (≥30). Nominal variables were compared using Chi-square test, continuous variables using ANOVA or Kruskal-Wallis tests, and catheter survival was assessed using the Kaplan-Meier method with log-rank test. Statistical significance was established at 0.05.

RESULTS

For the three BMI categories, there were no statistically significant differences in patient demographics. There were no statistically significant differences in catheter dysfunction or peri-operative complications by BMI category among all patients. This was also true in the AL cohort. Among all patients, similar 2-year dysfunction-free catheter survival was noted for normal weight, overweight, and obese patients (log-rank p = 0.79). This was also true across all insertion techniques: open (log-rank p = 0.87), BL (log-rank p = 0.41), AL (log-rank p = 0.43). In the obese cohort, the 2-year dysfunction-free catheter survival was 91.1% in AL, 83.5% in BL, and 65.7% in open (log-rank p = 0.58).

CONCLUSIONS

Obesity does not increase complications or shorten dysfunction-free PD catheter survival regardless of the operative technique used. Obesity should not be considered as a relative contraindication to PD catheter placement as it confers similar technique success to normal- and overweight individuals.