pd infection question

[Quickfeet]

How sensitive to infection is the pd catheter? I had mine put in Wednesday and my bandage came undone. The tube fell down and made contact with my leg. I quickly shoved it all back under the bandage and taped it back up, but should I have put some germ killer on the tube and exit site? I see the nurse on the 28th to change my bandage. I hear so much about peritonitis that I am a little freaked out. Should I try to have them change it tommorrow or am I freaking out for no reason?

[suzyq73176]

As long as you had a mini-cap on the end you have nothing to worry about and I assume if it was bandaged you did.  It is the very end where the cap goes that you need to worry about.  if ever you touch the end to something without a cap you should contact your PD nurse asap. 

[Quickfeet]

What about the whole in your skin where the tube comes out. I'm worried the germs could get in there or is it like a scab?

[cloud393]

Your exit site should be fine.  The air won't hurt it.  In fact, when I was on PD, my nurse use to urge me to keep the bandage off of it.  My doctor did prescribe Gentamiacin cream (an antibiotic) to apply to the site when I performed my daily cleaning of it.

[ceejster]

For my mom, they just have her wash the area with antibac soap daily, and that's about it. No special bandaging or anything. Not too fussy.

[suzyq73176]

i was told to just shower daily and thats fine.  I occasionally irritate it, like if i wear jeans that are snug. When i have any sign of irriation or discharge i put a big glob of bacitracin directly on the exit site.  Its usually better within 12 hours or so.  I have been on for 4 years and I only have had one exit site infecrtion and that occurred after a 6 month hospital stay and i wasnt allowed showers and the nurses didnt clean it daily.  Other than that I have had no exit site issues or peritonitis.

[Quickfeet]

Thank you everyone.