Will CAPD Continue for Another Decade?

Abstract

The origins of peritoneal dialysis have been traced by Drukker [8] to the eighteenth century A.D., but it began clinically in the first quarter of the twentieth century A.D. when Ganter [10] in Germany attempted it therapeutically for a uremic patient. Except for a few other trials, peritoneal dialysis remained dormant for 2 more decades. Fine et al. [9] demonstrated in 1946 that intermittent use of peritoneal dialysis with hourly exchange of dialysis fluid could sustain life through acute renal failure. The next 2 decades witnessed refinements in the technique, solutions, and catheters [6, 17] that brought survival to an acceptable level. But the hourly lavage of the peritoneum with 2.0 liters of dialysis fluid was slower and less dramatic than hemodialysis, and most of us preferring rapid improvements opted for the latter technique. So a secondary status was designated for peritoneal dialysis.

The opinions and assertions contained herein are the private views of the author and should not be construed as official or as necessarily reflecting the views of the Uniformed Services University of the Health Sciences or the Department of Defense. There is no objection to publication.