Successful treatment of extensively drug-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii peritoneal dialysis peritonitis with intraperitoneal polymyxin B and ampicillin-sulbactam.

OBJECTIVE

To describe a case of extensively drug-resistant (XDR) Acinetobacter baumannii peritoneal dialysis (PD)-associated peritonitis successfully treated with combination antibiotics, including intraperitoneal polymyxin B, with retention of the catheter.

CASE SUMMARY: A 54-year-old woman with end-stage renal disease receiving chronic PD and recent antibiotic and hospital exposure presented with abdominal pain, nausea, and vomiting. She was found to have XDR A. baumannii PD peritonitis. Treatment was initiated with intravenous and intraperitoneal ampicillin-sulbactam, followed by the addition of intraperitoneal polymyxin B based on susceptibilities. The patient recovered without the need for catheter removal or switch to hemodialysis.

DISCUSSION: The frequency of XDR A. baumannii as a nosocomial pathogen is increasing, and polymyxins are being used more often as part of combination therapy for infections caused by this organism. Neither XDR A. baumannii PD peritonitis nor the use of intraperitoneal polymyxin B has been well described. In our patient, intraperitoneal dosing of polymyxin B was determined based on limited published pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic data.

CONCLUSIONS

A case of XDR A. baumannii PD peritonitis was successfully treated with combination antibiotic therapy, including intraperitoneal polymyxin B, without major complications.