Peritoneal dialysis in the Republic of Congo: history and current issues. (letter)

Abstract

Introduction

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an extrarenal purification technique using the peritoneum as an exchange membrane.

The objectives of this work were to review the history of peritoneal dialysis in Congo Brazzaville and to describe a catheterization technique for peritoneal dialysis using the nasogastric tube, due to the unvailibility of Tenckhoff catheter.

Method

We reviewed the literature on PD in the Republic of Congo and described the current technique.

 Results 

 Our review of the literature on PD in the Congo reveals that the first PD in the Republic of Congo was performed in 1989 by MPIO and colleagues. Our current PD technique uses only a nasogastric tube placed subumbilically by a paediatric surgeon under local anaesthetic, and a locally manufactured dialysate infused at a dose of 50ml per kilogram per day of a mixture of ringer lactate and hypertonic glucose serum with 1 ampoule of 30% hypertonic glucose or icodextrin serum in case of acute pulmonary oedema (APO). Of the 6 patients who benefited from PD, 2 recovered.

Conclusion

The description of the PD technique reveals that any developing country can do it. Our overall results encourages the pursuit of PD and motivate the creation of a PD unit at CHU/B.