Significant developments over the past 10 years have established continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis as a successful kidney-replacement treatment. Peritonitis rates have fallen, and investigators are attempting to establish objective criteria for adequacy of dialysis. Malnutrition is a serious concern, but short-term experience with intraperitoneal amino acids promises success in the management of this complication. A significant improvement in the well-being of patients with end-stage renal disease was produced by recombinant human erythropoietin, and use of recombinant human growth hormone promises catch-up growth for children receiving long-term peritoneal dialysis treatment. As increasing numbers of patients are maintained on continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis over longer periods, we will begin to encounter beta 2-microglobulin-related amyloidosis possibly at the same rate in these patients as in those receiving long-term hemodialysis treatment.