KRT modalities include kidney transplantation, hemodialysis (HD), and peritoneal dialysis (PD). Patients with kidney failure need Kidney Replacement Therapy (KRT) for survival. Kidney failure is a rapidly increasing global health and healthcare burden. Moreover, this study can serve as an example for other places where circumstances are challenging to take the initiative of starting their PD programs. The outcomes of this experience proved favorable and showed that PD could serve as a viable option for kidney failure patients in Palestine. Death was the fate of 27 patients, with cardiovascular disease and COVID-19 being the two main causes. 20 patients had their PD treatment discontinued, mainly due to psychosocial reasons and infectious and mechanical complications. 63 episodes of peritonitis were diagnosed in 48 patients (30.4%) for a rate of 1 episode/ 38.2 patient-months (0.31 episodes/ patient-years). Diabetic nephropathy was the most common cause of kidney failure. The mean age was 51.8 ± 16.4 years, and 53.8% of patients were male. ResultsĪ total of 158 patients were eligible for the study. In addition, PD discontinuation, peritonitis, and mortality rates were calculated and presented as the primary patient outcomes. Demographic and clinical data were obtained for each patient. This was a single-center retrospective study of patients treated with PD from November 2016 to December 2021. In this study, we share an overview of our experience growing a peritoneal dialysis (PD) program from zero to 178 patients in 5 years at An-Najah National University Hospital in Palestine, presenting some challenges and ways to overcome them. Kidney failure is rapidly rising in Palestine, as the number of patients receiving maintenance dialysis has quadrupled in the last 15 years.

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