CAPD in Children

The renewal of interest in peritoneal dialysis as a treatment modality for patients with end-stage renal disease was stimulated by the report of Po povich and his colleagues in 1976 on the technique of CAPD. With the in troduction of commercial dialysate-containing plastic bags, which mark edly reduced the incidence of peritonitis, the use of CAPD as a primary treatment modality has increased significantly. At the present time, more than 12% of the patients undergoing dialysis in the United States are utiliz ing CAPD; however, the use of CAPD among pediatric patients is con siderably greater. The First International Symposium on CAPD in Children was orga nized in order to gather together experts with experience in treating chil dren undergoing CAPD in an attempt to exchange current information on the utilization of this emerging technique in children. Since pediatric pa tients comprise a small percentage of the CAPD population and since lim ited data were available concerning specific methodology and complica tions of CAPD in children, it was hoped that an international symposium would provide a forum for an exchange of experience that would ultimate ly lead to better adaptation and increased utilization of this technique.