My PD exit site has never healed.7 months
now. Cultures neg. Any ideals on what to do.
Does excess fat in the abd area delay healing

There can be a number of reasons for delayed healing of your exit site. First are you a diabetic? Unstable and or high blood sugars can delay the healing process.

Are you on any immunosuppressants, these also can impact healing.

It is good that your cultures remain negative. You are taking good care of your exit site not to have acquired an infection in 7 months without healing. Good for you!

Other areas to look at would be your diet and nutritional status. Are you eating a well balanced diet with an adequate or increased protien intake?

Are you securing your catheter correctly? You want imobilize it but do not secure it so tight that when you move around it causes tension and pulling on the catheter. This would most definitely delay complete healing of the exit site.

You should be cleaning you exit site with soap and water, drying it thoroughly and covering with a sterile dressing. Do not use an iodine cleaning solution at the site. Iodine will delay the ability of the formation of the new tissue needed for healing. After the exit site is healed you should ask your clinic nurse if they want you to continue to use a dressing. There are different opinons regarding this issue.

You didn't say if you were using an antibiotic ointment at the exit site to prevent infection. Some studies have shown a mupirocin ointment at the exit helps prevent infection until healing has occured.

Let us know how you progress.

I have the same problem with my exit site not healing (now for 6 months). They never answer why at the dialysis clinic. But my tube being secured too tightly could be why. I never thought of that. Also I never knew why they discuraged iodine. they used it 11 years ago, the last time I was on PD. Now I know why. And for some reason they have not given me any kind of creme to help the healing even though one doctor mentioned it might be a good idea. there seems to be poor communication between the 3 nephrologists I deal with at the hospital.

One thing i thought of though is that my tube was situated where my skin folds when I move at all. 11 years ago it was situated higher before my last transplant and i didn't have this problem then.

Could that be a possibility??

Ang1973@email.com