A new titanium fiber mesh-cuffed peritoneal dialysis catheter: an experimental animal study.

CAPD catheters are associated with infectious complications. To solve this problem, we developed a new catheter. In our design, sintered titanium fiber mesh material replaced the Dacron cuffs, as used in standard Tenckhoff catheters. The purpose of the current study was to compare the tissue response to new titanium-cuffed vs. Dacron-cuffed catheters. Experimental and standard Tenckhoff catheters were inserted intraperiotoneally in 12 goats, using a so-called two-stage surgical technique. In the first surgical session, the catheters were implanted. However, the percutaneous part of the catheter was buried subcutaneous. After 3-5 weeks, the percutaneous part of the catheter was exteriorized. After 14 weeks of implantation, all implants with surrounding tissue were retrieved and prepared for histological evaluation. Subsequently, we quantified: the characteristics of the fibrous tissue capsule surrounding the cuffs, the tissue inside the cuff porosity, and the epidermal downgrowth. Histologic and histomorphometric evaluation showed that titanium mesh evoked a lesser inflammatory response inside the cuff porosity compared with Dacron cuffs. Besides, the fibrous tissue capsule surrounding the titanium cuffs was significantly thinner. Supported by the obtained results, we conclude that the use of titanium fiber mesh has a great potential for application in percutaneous devices. Copyright 2001 Kluwer Academic Publishers