Needleoscopic Placement of Tenckhoff Catheters

BACKGROUND: Minimally invasive techniques are being developed for the placement of peritoneal dialysis catheters. A needleoscopic technique that utilizes only two punctures is described. METHODS: Twelve patients underwent 13 needleoscopic Tenckhoff catheter placement procedures between November 1995 and May 1998. An additional six patients underwent the same procedure using a standard 10 mm laparoscope. The patients were followed prospectively for type of anesthesia and operative time for the procedure, whether the procedure was performed as an inpatient or an outpatient, and for any complications or leakage following the procedure. RESULTS: The needleoscopic procedure was able to be performed with an average operative time of 12 minutes. Twenty-three percent (23%) were performed under local anesthesia and thirty-eight (38%) were treated as outpatients. CONCLUSION: Needleoscopic Tenckhoff catheter placement is very simple to perform and can be performed under local anesthesia with minimal discomfort, secure catheter placement, and no leakage.