The study was designed to investigate the incidence of abdominal wall hernias (AWH) and related outcome in all end-stage renal disease (ESRD) patients who started peritoneal dialysis (PD) from January 1989 to December 1993. Between January 1989 and December 1993, a total of 158 ESRD patients (93 male, 65 female) entered our home program and were treated with peritoneal dialysis (PD) over 2789 patient-months. All PD catheters were placed in the lateral by two dedicated surgeons. AWH detected at the time of PD catheter placement was repaired simultaneously. The hernia repair was done using a polypropylene mesh. Inguinal hernias were noted by patients as a mass or discomfort. Umbilical and incisional hernias were observed during clinic visits. Twenty-one (13.3%) abdominal wall hernias were observed in 20 patients (12.7%). Eight (38.1%) inguinal hernias occurred in 8 male patients. Six inguinal hernias were repaired. PD was resumed after a mean of 12 days of hernia repair. Two patients resumed PD in 8 and 14 days without dialysis. One patient transferred to hemodialysis (HD) due to catheter malfunction. No complications occurred related to inguinal hernias. Ten (47.6%) umbilical hernias were observed in 10 patients (7 male, 3 female). The strangulation of umbilical hernias occurred in 2 patients, which required emergency small bowel resection and hernia repair. Both cases were complicated by candida peritonitis and enterobacter peritonitis, requiring PD catheter removal, and patients were then transferred to HD. Three (14.3%) incisional hernias were observed in 3 male patients. Two incisional hernias were repaired. No relation between AWH and PD modalities (CAPD/CCPD/IPD) was observed.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)