Journal Watch

« Back to Most Recent

  • Prevent buttonhole infections with Mupirocin

    The Buttonhole technique for fistulas lessens needle pain, missed cannulations, and bumpy aneurysms. The only downside? A higher risk of staph infection. A new study finds that prescription mupirocin (Bactroban®) ointment, an antibiotic, reduced that risk by 35 times!

    Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

    Tags:

  • TPA reduces HD catheter infections by 50%

    Heparin is put into HD catheters after each use to prevent blood clots. Researchers replaced it with a clot-busting drug used for strokes—TPA—at one treatment per week. The new routine reduced catheter infections. (Hmmm. Is heparin sterile? What if TPA was used at ALL HD treatments?)

    Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

    Tags:

  • Secondary arteriovenous fistulas: Converting prosthetic AV grafts to autogenous dialysis access

    Dialysis fistulas tend to have fewer clots, infections, and hospital stays than grafts. Switching from a graft to a fistula was highly (90%+) successful after 2 years in a new study.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

    Tags:

  • A honey of an idea

    Some clinics help prevent peritonitis in people with PD by using an antibiotic ointment. But bacteria may become resistant. In Australia, a new randomized study of Medihoney, a honey-based wound dressing (which is FDA-approved in the US) will see whether exit site or tunnel infections or peritonitis can be reduced.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

    Tags:

  • Mupirocin (Bactroban®) reduces staph exit site infection and peritonitis in PD

    A meta-analysis of 14 studies looking at 1233 patients and 1217 controls has concluded that using an ointment with mupiricin can help prevent PD problems. Exit site infections and peritonitis—both due to staph aureus and to some other germs—were reduced by as much as 72%.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

    Tags:

  • Protect the peritoneal membrane to do PD longer

    A new review article suggests replacing some glucose-based dialysate exchanges with icodextrin, resting the peritoneum, using bicarbonate or pyruvate as a buffer, and treating infections immediately as ways to help protect the peritoneal membrane.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

    Tags:

  • Surgical adhesions? PD may still be possible

    Conventional wisdom says that PD is not a good choice for people who've had complex abdominal surgery or have adhesions. But a study of two groups of people—with and one without adhesions—found no significant differences in catheter success, infections, or the need for more surgery.

    Read the abstract » | (added 2011-02-24)

    Tags: