Abstract
A 60-year-old male, who had undergone maintenance hemodialysis (HD) for 6 months after ceasing continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD), was admitted to Hino City Hospital because of abdominal pain, vomiting and ascites in November, 1995. He had suffered four episodes of bacterial peritonitis during a 7 year course of CAPD management. In April, 1994, CAPD was discontinued with conversion to HD because of anasarca and consciousness disturbance. On admission, he had a distended abdomen, and paracentesis showed bloody exudative ascites without malignant cells. Plain abdominal X-ray showed niveau formation, and computed tomography demonstrated a mass of thickened intestine and a large volume of ascites. Despite hyperalimentation given under a diagnosis of sclerosing peritonitis, his nutrition and general condition deteriorated and he died 3months after initiating intensive treatment.
Sclerosing peritonitis is a rare but lifethreatening complication of CAPD. It usually develops in patients undergoing CAPD, but this serious conplication should be considered even after CAPD has been discontinued.
