Possible problems from peritoneal dialysis include infection, hernia, and weight gain.

Infection

One of the most serious problems related to peritoneal dialysis is infection. You can get an infection of the skin around your catheter exit site or you can develop peritonitis, an infection in the fluid in your belly. Bacteria can enter your body through your catheter as you connect or disconnect it from the bags.

Signs of an exit site infection include redness, pus, swelling or bulging, and tenderness or pain at the exit site. Health care professionals treat infections at the exit site with antibiotics.

Peritonitis may cause:

• Pain in the abdomen
• Fever
• Nausea or vomiting
• Redness or pain around your catheter
• Unusual color or cloudiness in used dialysis solution
• The catheter cuff to push out from your body—the cuff is the part of the catheter that holds it in place

Health care professionals treat peritonitis with antibiotics. Antibiotics are added to the dialysis solution that you can usually take at home. Quick treatment may prevent additional problems.

Hernia

Hernia is caused by weakness and tearing of the abdominal muscles.

Peritoneal dialysis increases your risk for a hernia for a couple of reasons. First, you have an opening in your muscle for your catheter. Second, the weight of the dialysis solution within your belly puts pressure on your muscle. Hernias can occur near your belly button, near the exit site, or in your groin. If you have a swelling or new lump in your groin or belly, talk with your health care professional.

Weight gain from fluid and dextrose

The longer the dialysis solution remains in your belly, the more dextrose your body will absorb from the dialysis solution. This can cause weight gain over time.

How to limit weight gain?

In the CAPD method, you may absorb too much liquid and dextrose during the night due to the solution remaining in the body. To solve this problem, you can use the automatic system to change your solution while you sleep. This additional exchange shortens the solution’s residence time in the body, preventing excessive dextrose absorption and filtering waste from your body.Also, with automated peritoneal dialysis, you may experience a large amount of dextrose absorption due to the long residence time of the solution during the day ̨ and need to change in the mid-afternoon to avoid excessive absorption of the solution into the body. A nutritionist can provide helpful tips for reducing weight gain.