Author: VCLINTON

Care of your
Tenckhoff Catheter.

Advice on looking after your new tube at home.

Your Tenckhoff tube (catheter) is now in place and you can now go home to rest and allow your skin to heal, in preparation for dialysis- we call this the Resting Phase. This will normally be for about 2 weeks, it depends on your blood test results and how you are feeling, and we will discuss this with you.
CLINIC VISITS
During the ‘resting phase’ you will be required to visit the Home Dialysis Department weekly. This is so that we can monitor your progress and decide with you, the best time to start your training. Your weight and blood pressure will be checked and some blood taken for routine testing. Your new tube will be flushed before you start training, to make sure it is working freely. We will also check your dressings and may show you and your carer how to do your own dressings if you are able to.
EXIT SITE DRESSING
The area where the tube comes out of your tummy is called the “exit site”. At your clinic visit one week after the operation, we will give you supplies and instructions to take home so the District Nurse can supervise you doing the exit site dressings- (or do it herself if you aren’t able).
We encourage patients or carers to learn to do the dressing, and it soon becomes part of the dialysis routine. The dressing should be changed on alternate days and is quite simple to learn, using simple hygiene rules.
ALWAYS MAKE SURE THAT THE DRESSING IS KEPT DRY, THE TUBE IS TAPED SECURLY TO YOUR SKIN AND THAT THE YELLOW CAP IS TIGHTLY SCREWED ON.
This will help prevent future problems, such as infection.

INFECTION
The reason we teach you to care for your tube is to keep it free from infection. If you feel sore around the tube, if it looks red or is weeping, then contact the hospital immediately as this is a sign of exit site infection and you will need to take some antibiotics. If you suffer from any of the following symptoms:
Sudden onset of abdominal pain
Diarrhoea
Nausea and/ vomiting
High temperature
You may have an infection inside your abdomen. Please contact the Home Dialysis Department or the Renal Ward immediately for instructions (numbers on back page).
CONSTIPATION
It is also very important that you do not get constipated during the ‘resting phase’ as this might stop the dialysis working properly, when you start your training. Laxatives – Senna and Lactulose should be given to you when you are discharged. Alternatively you can get them from the Home Dialysis Clinic or from your GP.
WASHING
Advice will be given about bathing during your training but the most important thing is that your dressing does not get wet as this will increase your risk of developing an exit site infection. So please do not shower or bath while your exit site wound is healing, your dialysis nurse will advise you once the exit site is healed. You will be provided with an activity pouch or film dressing to protect your site.

LIFTING
During this time it is also important that you do not lift any heavy objects, or use a vacuum cleaner or lawn mower. This will allow your abdomen to fully recover from the operation. Objects that you do lift should be no heavier than a full kettle.
DRIVING
For your comfort and safety, it is advisable that you avoid driving for a couple of weeks after your operation. If you were to be involved in a collision, the steering wheel or seat belt could come into contact with the wound. This is especially important if you have had a general anaesthetic- or had a more complicated operation such as a hernia repair. Please check with the nurse if you are not sure.
If you drive a bus , coach or similar transport, The DVLA ( Driving and Vehicle Licensing Agency) advises that they should be informed if a driver has certain medical conditions, this includes kidney failure. You may also need to contact you car insurance company, if you haven’t already done so.
WORK
You may need to take some leave during this time. Please discuss this with your employers and the nursing or medical staff if you are unsure. You will definitely need to take time off for training and ideally for a minimum of a week after training, in order to become accustomed to CAPD.

COUNCIL
You may receive a call from your Council. This will be to inform you of the dates your clinical waste will be collected, once you have stared dialysis.
PRESCRIPTION
All kidney dialysis patients are entitled to FREE prescriptions. Please obtain a purple form FP92A from your GP Practise.
TRAINING
There are training options, either as an out patient in Home Dialysis Department unit or in your own home. Please discuss this with the Home Dialysis team during one of your visits.
Appointment
Your first post-operative appointment is on
… ….. ……...at………:..…….. In the Home Dialysis Department, Renal Outpatients, at Kent and Canterbury Hospital

Contact Numbers:
Home Dialysis Unit: 01227 864011 (within office hours)
Marlowe Ward 01227 783100 (all other times)
Please don’t hesitate to contact us with any questions you may have.

Words Used In This Leaflet
CAPD
Continuous Ambulatory Peritoneal Dialysis. This refers to the dialysis that uses bags of fluid that drain in and out of your peritoneal cavity. Sometimes just called PD, or “the bag dialysis”.
Dialysis
Treatment to remove waste and excess water from your body, when your kidneys stop working properly.
Exit Site
The place where your new tube comes through the skin of your abdomen.

NOTES

Standard Information
If you have a disability
We have many facilities to help you, such as allocated
parking spaces, induction loops, automatic doors,
interpreters and information in large print. Any member of
our staff will always be happy to help.
Cash & valuables
When coming into hospital please refrain from bringing
in valuables or items of sentimental value. Unless handed
into staff for safe keeping, the hospital may not be able to
accept responsibility for any loss. You should only require
a small amount of money to buy sundries, for example, a
newspaper / magazine or to use the telephone.
For further information
If you have any further queries, please speak to your doctor
or consultant.
THIS LEAFLET HAS BEEN PRODUCED WITH AND
FOR PATIENTS.
If you would like to comment for future revisions
please contact Joy Gerken, Quality Manager on
01227 766877 Ext. 73069
After reading this information are there any questions you
would like to ask? Please list below and ask your nurse or
consultant.

Version 2 - Leaflet updated by Sally Krause and Lea Burnett
Date of Production: May 2008 - Leaflet revision date: April 2017

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