The success of Tenckhoff chronic peritoneal dialysis catheters depends more upon the skill of the physician in placing catheters and on the technique of placement than it does on the exact design of the peritoneal catheter. In this summary article, the existing types of peritoneal catheters are reviewed, including two recent alternative designs: Tenckhoff catheters with larger internal diameters, and the T-fluted catheter with grooved limbs adjacent to the parietal peritoneum. The three types of placement procedures for catheters (peritoneoscopy, surgical or dissective, and blind techniques) are described, and the complications of Tenckhoff catheters are compared according to placement technique.