Acute hydrothorax complicating peritoneal dialysis.

Aim: To determine whether gradually increasing the peritoneal dialysate fill volume from 10 to 40 mL/kg over 6 days, rather than commencing at 40 mL/kg, prevents hydrothorax in children and reverses it if present.

Methods: A review of children peritoneally dialyzed in a single center.

Results: During the 20 years beginning June 1985, 416 children were peritoneally dialyzed, of which 327 (79%) had acute and 89 had end-stage renal failure. Among 253 children who had gradually increasing fill volumes, none developed acute hydrothoraces, but 13/163 (8%) who began with 40 mL/kg cycles did (p < 0.000, Fisher's exact test). These were diagnosed after a median (range) of 48 (6-72) hours and were predominantly right sided. Initially, we readily abandoned peritoneal dialysis; 2 were changed to hemodialysis. Subsequently, we found that peritoneal dialysis could be continued by using small volumes with the patients sitting up; cycle volumes were then gradually increased again. One pre-term baby died soon after developing an acute hydrothorax. One patient on chronic peritoneal dialysis developed an acute hydrothorax after forceful vomiting, but recovered after being dialyzed sitting up with low fills.

Conclusion: Acute hydrothorax can be prevented and treated using graduated cycle volumes, and is not a contraindication for peritoneal dialysis.