What infection prevention practices are critical for a patient with a PD catheter?

• A. Aseptic exit-site care, sterile technique for connections, hand hygiene and monitoring.
• B. Only hand hygiene before meals.
• C. Non-sterile technique is fine.
• D. Sharing instruments is acceptable.

Answer: (A)

Preventing infection in a PD catheter relies on keeping the pathway for dialysis exchanges sterile, protecting the exit site, and staying vigilant for early signs of trouble. Aseptic exit-site care reduces the risk of exit-site infection that can lead to peritonitis, so daily cleansing around the catheter and a properly applied dressing kept clean and dry are essential. Sterile technique for connections means handling PD tubing and solutions in a way that maintains a closed system and minimizes contamination—this includes using clean gloves, proper hand hygiene, and avoiding contact with sterile portions of the equipment. Hand hygiene before any PD manipulation is the foundation that stops skin flora and other contaminants from entering the system. Ongoing monitoring is crucial, too: watch for redness, swelling, drainage at the exit site, fever, abdominal pain, or cloudy effluent, and address these signs promptly to prevent progression.

Focusing only on general hand hygiene, using non-sterile techniques, or sharing instruments would significantly raise the risk of infection and do not address the key steps needed to protect the catheter and the peritoneal cavity.