An Unusual Cause of Massive Intraperitoneal Bleeding in CAPD

A 73-year-old man, who had been on CAPD for two years, presented with massive intraperitoneal hemorrhage. On laparotomy the peritoneal catheter was situated in a large pouch that was lined by fibrous tissue. The hemorrhage arose from erosion of the pouch wall -an unusual cause of intraperitoneal bleeding in the CAPD patient. Massive intraperitoneal bleeding is a rare complication of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Mild to moderate bleeding, which is more common in CAPD, usually is related to disintegration of small blood vessels. In most patients the bleeding is self-limited. This paper describes an unusual cause of massive bleeding in a CAPD patient.