Peritoneal dialysis catheter site care (1967)

Why do I need to do catheter site care?

Daily site care helps prevent infection around the exit site.

What supplies are needed?

• Tape or SePro® netting
• Tegaderm™ and Island dressing, if needed
• Antibacterial soap 
• 2 packages of sterile 4x4  gauze
• Gentamicin ointment

How do I clean the site?

1. Shower as usual.
2. Clean the catheter site with sterile 4x4 gauze, soap and water.  Wipe with another sterile 4x4 soaked with water to rinse site of soap.
3. Dry the catheter site completely with a dry, sterile 4x4 gauze.
4. Put on Gentamicin ointment lightly around the exit site using sterile 4x4 gauze.
5. Put on Island dressing and Tegaderm™ if needed.
6. Secure catheter with tape and/or SePro® netting.

Special information

• Catheter site care must be done each day.
• Do not cut tape with a scissor close to the catheter.
• Do not use powder or lotion around the exit site.
• Do not put your child in a bathtub full of water.  The catheter or exit site should not sit in water. 
• No swimming, no running through sprinklers, or splash pads. 

Follow up care

Call the Dialysis Unit if any of the following occurs around the catheter site:

• Redness
• Tenderness
• Drainage
• Leaking
• Swelling
• Cuff is exposed
• Catheter gets pulled out

Call with any questions or concerns.  Mon – Fri: 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. (414) 266-2840  
After hours (414) 266-2000, ask for the on-call dialysis nurse.

For other health and wellness information, check out this resource: https://kidshealth.org/ChildrensWi/en/parents