Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is in widespread use for the treatment of acute and chronic renal failure. A considerable amount of knowledge about the various procedures and problems associated with this form of treatment has accumulated over recent years, particularly since the introduction of continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). However to date the information regarding the more technical or practical aspects of PD has been largely scattered in various books and journals. There appears to be no straightforward text concerned with these points suitable for recommending to junior doctors or nurses dealing with patients receiving this therapy. Though in-house-training is of considerable value it takes time and I have noticed that on a number of occasions in our own unit, technical problems with PD have not been dealt with quickly because of lack of knowledge in the staff on duty. There thus appeared to me to be a need for a short book giving firm advice on how to perform the various procedures and how to deal with problems as they arose. This manual is an attempt to fulfil that aim. Initially it was tried and tested on the renal unit in the Cardiff Royal Infirmary for 3 years. Prior to publishing it has been extensively revised and updated.