Perforative peritonitis caused by appendicitis in a patient on peritoneal dialysis

Appendicitis Misdiagnosed as Peritoneal Dialysis-Related Peritonitis: A Case Report

Abdominal pain in patients on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (PD) is considered a serious, alarming symptom since they are at increased risk for exogenous infection introduced through the peritoneal catheter. Differential diagnosis includes perforated peptic ulcer, cholecystitis, ischemic colitis, appendicitis, diverticulitis, ingestion of foreign body, or malignancy. Typical features of perforation include signs of acute abdomen in addition to free air under the diaphragm detected on imaging. Perforation is an indication of emergency laparotomy, which is the gold standard for diagnosis. We reported a case of a 23-year-old Palestinian male patient who had recently started continuous ambulatory PD. He presented with generalized, colicky abdominal pain associated with nausea and vomiting. He noticed turbid peritoneal fluid while performing daily dialysis sessions. The patient was diagnosed with PD-related peritonitis but had no improvement on intraperitoneal antibiotics. Further evaluation revealed an intraabdominal cause, a perforated appendix. He underwent an urgent laparotomy and switched to hemodialysis. The patient expired due to the complications of his disease. Although PD-related peritonitis is readily diagnosed in patients on continuous ambulatory PD, an underlying intraabdominal pathology should be suspected when the condition is resistant to conventional treatment. Accepting or refuting such a diagnosis can be challenging.

When end-stage kidney disease complicates abdominal surgery

Patients receiving peritoneal dialysis (PD) encounter an increased risk for infection, bleeding, and PD fluid leakage after abdominal surgery. These complications may affect the future use of PD. Appropriate patient preparation may mitigate complications. Certain complications or procedures allow patients to remain on PD while others require transition to hemodialysis. We review the etiology and management of infection, bleeding, and PD fluid leakage associated with abdominal surgery as well as the relationship of specific abdominal procedures to continuing PD.

Transection versus infection: acute appendicitis in a peritoneal dialysis patient presenting as catheter dysfunction and discontinuity on X-ray

Acute appendicitis in peritoneal dialysis patients generally presents as abdominal pain and cloudy dialysate. We report a case of acute appendicitis in a peritoneal dialysis patient that presented as poor dialysate fluid drainage and an abnormal abdominal X-ray showing breakage in the continuity of the catheter. Catheter dysfunction in this case was caused by acute appendicitis leading to the formation of adhesions with peritoneal dialysis catheter trapped in it. This resulted in radiological appearance of catheter breakage, although catheter itself was intact. Clinicians should be aware of this rare presentation of acute appendicitis-poor drain alarm and radiological appearance of catheter discontinuity.