Management of Hernias and Tenckhoff Catheter Complications in CAPD

From October 1978 to December 1982, we placed 86 Tenckhoff catheters in 69 patients of whom 64 completed training and were followed on CAPD. All catheters were either straight or pigtail double-cuff Quinton type. The devices were implanted by the surgeon in the operating room under local anesthesia with direct exposure of the peritoneum. Abdominal hernias have developed in eight patients; there have been six cuff erosions; seven patients developed fluid leaks; 18 catheters were removed. Mean catheter life was 20.6::!:: 10.3 months in the 15 catheters removed because of infectious complications and 6.9::!::6.7 months in four catheters removed for non-infectious complications.