[Ambulatory or home peritoneal dialysis--time for changes?].

Ambulatory peritoneal dialysis need to be adopted to the changing population of patients with irreversible renal failure who require more and more nursing support in normal performance of dialysis procedure. Such possibility might be provided by introduction of supported or assisted by medical personal peritoneal dialysis in patient's home.

[Ophthalmologic complications in patients with diabetic nephropathy treated with peritoneal dialysis].

In the prophylaxis of vision complications in patients with diabetic nephropathy (DN) treated with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) achievement of the metabolic balance in the "protective" values against the progression of the vascular and vision complications is important. The limited access for ambulatory ophthalmological care in DN-CAPD patients is the reason why these patients must be educated in the field of vision complications during initial CAPD education program. Early nephrological and ophthalmological intervention is the chance for preservation of the vision for longer time in comparison with patients not educated.

[Universalistic medicine in relation to diabetes as a chronic disease at the turn of 20th and 21st centuries].

This paper is devoted to the ideas and purposes of universalistic medicine as a knowledge of restoring, preserving and improving health state and making possible to evaluate individual human being as an integrated subject of creative evolution. The illustration of the problem are own experiences with educational programmes for patients with diabetic nephropathy at end-stage renal failure, prepared for renal replacement therapy with continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis.

[Diverticulosis as a background of "abdominal catastrophe" in the course of peritoneal dialysis. Care Report].

Peritonitis complicating peritoneal dialysis (PD) may represent a difficult diagnostic and therapeutic problem if it coexists with surgical pathology of intra-abdominal organs defined as "abdominal catastrophe". The illustration of this problem is the case of 70-year-old patient treated with automated PD, in whom recurrent episodes of peritonitis (Escherichia coli) were typical of "abdominal catastrophe" and were probably caused by microperforations of the colon in the course of diverticulosis.

[Sterile peritonitis associated with the use of icodextrin solution. Case report].

Sterile peritonitis after dialysis with the use of icodextrin-containing solution is a rare complication of peritoneal dialysis programme. On the basis of the case of hypersensitivity to icodextrin accompanied by peritonitis, the diagnostic problems were described and a review of literature on this complication is presented.

[Empirical therapy of peritonitis in peritoneal dialysis patients--it is reasonable to use a new therapeutic schedule?].

The Ad Hoc Advisory Committee on Peritonitis Management recommended in the year 2000 a new protocol of empirical peritonitis therapy in patients on peritoneal dialysis with preserved residual renal function (RRF). This protocol comprises 1st and 3rd generation cephalosporins. According to these recommendations the old protocol of therapy, comprising 1st generation cephalosporin and aminoglycoside may be used only in patients with diuresis lower than 100 ml/day.

[New look at the scintigraphic visualization of peritoneal cavity in the course of the peritoneal dialysis].

Development of peritoneal dialysis treatment in the world as well as in Poland followed by prolongation of patients' survival calls for imaging of peritoneal cavity in the course of non-complicated programme as well as complicated CAPD programme. Retrospective analysis was performed of the clinical utility of peritoneal scintigraphy applied in our centre since 1982. According to the aim of the study 125 scans of the peritoneal cavity performed in 67 patients treated by CAPD/APD method in the years 1982-2002 were subjected to analysis.