Previous in vitro, in vivo, and a preliminary clinical report have demonstrated efficacy of noncovalently bonding antibiotics to the surface of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) catheters in decreasing infectious complications. A larger prospective randomized clinical trial was completed. Eighty-six patients with chronic renal failure were enrolled in the study and randomized to receive either a surfactant treated or untreated control catheter. All catheters were soaked in cefoxitin at the time of insertion. Groups were comparable in terms of pre-existing illnesses, age, and gender. No differences were shown in the incidence of catheter-tract infections, peritonitis or mechanical complications. There was also no differences in microbiologic culture results. Therefore, it is concluded that this clinical trial did not demonstrate a reduction in catheter-related infectious complications by antibiotic bonding.

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