my wife has been on pd for 8 yrs. and is doing fine and loves it. She has developed utrine prolapses from the fluid pressure and has been told to have a hysterectomy. This is fine with us but her nyphy… is worried that it will stop here from being on pd and will have to go hemo. ( she does not want). Has anyone have information as to abdominal surgey and remaing on pd. She has had the regular hernia repairs and did ok. thanks
I have been told by nephrologists who specialize in PD that simple abdominal surgeries–such as a C-section delivery–do not keep someone from being able to do PD.
A prolapsed uterus may be able to be repaired with something less drastic than a hysterectomy. For example, a recent randomized study compared use of a type of surgical mesh “sling” to hold up the uterus, vs. a plain surgical repair. The mesh worked in 87% of the cases–without the need to remove the uterus.
These days, if a hysterectomy is truly needed, most can be done vaginally, not abdominally, anyway. This makes for an easier recovery, and is also less risk of damaging the lining of the abdomen. Here is an article from the Mayo clinic: http://www.mayoclinic.com/health/vaginal-hysterectomy/MY00099. Your wife can ask her surgeon about her options, and the surgeon can cooperate with her nephrologist.
You might also want to read our article about low-volume, recumbant-only (LVRO) PD, which might be of use to your wife when she is recovering: http://www.homedialysis.org/resources/tom/200505/