Which complication would the client be most concerned about if choosing peritoneal dialysis?

Which complication would the client be most concerned about if choosing peritoneal dialysis?

• A. Abdominal infection/Peritonitis.
• B. Bleeding at fistula site.
• C. Acute kidney failure.
• D. Seizures.

Answer: (A)

Peritoneal dialysis places the peritoneal cavity directly at risk for infection because the catheter provides a pathway into the abdomen for contaminants during exchanges. The most important complication to watch for is peritonitis, an abdominal infection that can develop when bacteria enter during the exchange or from an infected exit site. Peritonitis can cause abdominal pain, fever, and cloudy dialysate drainage, and if not treated promptly, it can progress to sepsis and damage the peritoneal membrane, potentially ending the viability of PD for that patient. Prevention centers on strict sterile technique during every exchange, careful exit-site care, and prompt attention to any signs of infection. Other options, like bleeding at a fistula site, relate to hemodialysis access rather than PD; acute kidney failure is the underlying condition rather than a PD-specific complication; and seizures, while serious, are not the most characteristic or immediate concern with initiating or continuing peritoneal dialysis.

Peritoneal dialysis places the peritoneal cavity directly at risk for infection because the catheter provides a pathway into the abdomen for contaminants during exchanges. The most important complication to watch for is peritonitis, an abdominal infection that can develop when bacteria enter during the exchange or from an infected exit site. Peritonitis can cause abdominal pain, fever, and cloudy dialysate drainage, and if not treated promptly, it can progress to sepsis and damage the peritoneal membrane, potentially ending the viability of PD for that patient. Prevention centers on strict sterile technique during every exchange, careful exit-site care, and prompt attention to any signs of infection. Other options, like bleeding at a fistula site, relate to hemodialysis access rather than PD; acute kidney failure is the underlying condition rather than a PD-specific complication; and seizures, while serious, are not the most characteristic or immediate concern with initiating or continuing peritoneal dialysis.