Pediatric Renal Disease

This prospective observational study evaluates the feasibility, technical success, safety, and clinical outcomes of ultrasound-guided percutaneous peritoneal dialysis (PD) catheter insertion for urgent-start dialysis in pediatric patients with acute kidney injury (AKI). Acute kidney injury in children frequently requires prompt renal replacement therapy. While traditional surgical placement of peritoneal dialysis catheters often requires general anesthesia and an extended waiting period before use, percutaneous insertion under real-time ultrasound guidance using a modified Seldinger technique allows for bedside placement under local anesthesia and rapid initiation of dialysis. The study includes 50 pediatric patients (ranging from neonates up to 18 years of age) admitted to Assiut University Hospitals who require urgent renal replacement therapy and are candidates for peritoneal dialysis. Participants undergo percutaneous catheter placement guided in real time by ultrasound, followed by the initiation of an urgent-start dialysis protocol. The primary focus is to determine the technical success of the insertion procedure, evaluate catheter function and short-term catheter survival, and record procedure-related complications such as bleeding, dialysate leakage, infection, and mechanical malfunction. Secondary objectives include assessing renal recovery, patient survival to hospital discharge, and the need for conversion to alternative dialysis modalities.