ABSTRACT
Renal excretory function can be subdivided into solute removal, particularly nitrogenous products of protein metabolism, and maintenance of fluid, electrolyte, and acid-base balance. Peritoneal failure may therefore be defined as an inability of peritoneal dialysis to replace adequately one or more of these functions. Adequacy in this context can be taken to be that level of replacement that gives optimum outcome. Thus, inadequate dialysis or failure means that patient outcome in terms of morbidity and mortality is significantly worse than the best currently being achieved.
