Peritonitis Management Day by Day
Day 0
Clinical assessment
- Take history: Obvious contamination of catheter or previous PD infections?
- Temperature, BP, heart rate + examine abdomen ? exit site/tunnel infection.
Essential samples:
- Send 1x universal container to microbiology for urgent WCC + gram stain
- Send PD fluid in blood culture bottles (10mls per bottle) labelled “PD Fluid”
- If exit site exudate present, swab and send for culture
Diagnosis:
- If cloudy bag and/or patient unwell do not delay antibiotic until WCC back
- PD fluid WCC >100/mm3 + 50% PMNs confirms peritonitis
Dose Antibiotic:
- Ceftazidime 1.5g IP in 6 hour dwell daily
- Vancomycin 30mg/kg in 6 hour dwell
Day 1
Monitoring:
- If inpatient, consider sending further WCC daily and checking vancomycin level daily
- (If outpatient, no routine samples needed)
Dose antibiotic:
- Ceftazidime 1.5g IP in 6 hour dwell daily
Day 2
Monitoring:
- Send further PD fluid samples for WCC and culture as per day 0
- Check vancomycin level day 2. If level >20, repeat in 24 hours.
Dose Antibiotic:
- Ceftazidime 1.5g IP in 6 hour dwell daily
- Vancomycin 30 mg/kg if vancomycin trough <20mg/l
Day 3
Monitoring:
- Check vancomycin level if day 2 level was >20.
Review culture:
- If organism identified, follow relevant organism-specific protocol.
- If no culture result or remains culture negative, continue both antibiotics and send further PD fluid sample for cell count, culture and discuss with microbiology: consider additional culture methods including fungal or mycobacterial culture.
Dose Antibiotic:
- Ceftazidime 1.5g IP in 6 hour dwell daily
- Vancomycin 30mg/kg if vancomycin trough <20mg/l
Day 4
Monitoring:
- Check further vancomycin trough if level day 2 was <20 or if patient has not yet needed a second dose of vancomycin.
- Timing of subsequent vancomycin level checks will depend upon how quickly the initial level fell <20 and a second dose was given – as a guide, aim to check the subsequent vancomycin level s after the same number of days eg if the second dose required on day 2 (48 hours after first dose) then check next vancomcyin level day 4 (48 hours after second dose).
Review culture:
- If organism identified, follow relevant organism-specific protocol.
- If no culture result or remains culture negative, continue both antibiotics.
Dose Antibiotic:
- Ceftazidime 1.5g IP in 6 hour dwell daily
- Vancomycin 15mg/kg if vancomycin trough <20mg/l
Day 5
Monitoring:
- Send further PD fluid samples for WCC and culture as per day 0
Review culture:
- If WCC not falling despite appropriate antibiotic, PD catheter should be removed.
- If organism identified, follow relevant organism-specific protocol.
- If remains culture negative, continue both antibiotics until day 14.
Dose Antibiotic:
- Ceftazidime 1.5g IP in 6 hour dwell daily
- Vancomycin 15mg/kg if vancomycin trough <20mg/l
Day 6 onward
- Note that if PD catheter is removed antibiotics should continue for 2 weeks (iv or oral according to clinical condition and organism cultured).
- Antibiotic choice and duration of treatment depend upon organism cultured – please refer to the relevant section in the PD protocol “long version” on EDREN.