What is a Tenckhoff peritoneal catheter?

The Tenckhoff catheter is a Silastic tube with side holes along its intraperitoneal portion. There are usually one or two Dacron cuffs, allowing tissue ingrowth, which secures the catheter in place and prevents pericatheter leakage and infection.

What is the purpose of a Tenckhoff catheter?

A Tenckhoff catheter is a soft, see-through rubber tube. A doctor puts it into your pleural space to drain fluid from around your lung. The catheter is tunnelled under your skin and then brought out. The place where it comes out of your skin is called the exit site.

Where is a Tenckhoff catheter inserted?

The Tenckhoff catheter is a long, narrow tube inserted into you peritoneal cavity. The peritoneal cavity is the space in your body that contains your stomach, bowel, liver, bladder etc. It is covered by a membrane that holds all the organs in place—the peritoneal membrane.

How long does it take to recover from a peritoneal catheter in?

While healing, you should not exercise too hard or do much lifting. The exit site should be completely healed at 4-6 weeks. It is important to prevent constipation after the catheter is placed. Straining to move your bowels can increase the chance for a hernia (a weakness in the belly muscle).

How do you shower with a peritoneal catheter?

You should not take a shower or bath or go swimming during this time. These water sources are not sterile and can cause an exit site infection. A washcloth or sponge may be used to clean the body, although you should be careful to keep the catheter and bandage dry.

Does peritoneal dialysis shorten your life?

Median survival time was 20.4 months in patients receiving peritoneal dialysis versus 36.7 months in the hemodialysis group. At every age, patients with ESRD on dialysis have significantly increased mortality when compared with nondialysis patients and individuals without kidney disease.