Abstract
Sclerosing peritonitis now is recognized as an extremely serious complication of peritoneal dialysis. In Glasgow II of 162 patients on CAPD developed sclerosing peritonitis. All 11 came from a group of 54 patients, who used a connecting system that allowed small quantities of the antiseptic spray, chlorhexidine in alcohol, to enter the abdomen. Experiments showed that I ml of this solution added to 2 litres of dialysate produced up to a 20. fold increase in the particle count of the dialysate. Scanning electron microscopy suggested that these particles probably were plastic. In rats intraperitoneal injections of a mixture of antiseptic spray and dialysate produced an inflammatory reaction in the submesothelial tissues, which might represent the early changes of a fibrotic process. To prevent possible longterm complications such as sclerosing peritonitis we should avoid the introduction into the peritoneal cavity of any unnecessary substance and in particular chlorhexidine in alcohol.
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