The Davidson Medical Series is a comprehensive guide to current common diagnostic, operative, and percutaneous techniques used in creating and maintaining vascular access for dialysis in patients with end-stage renal disease or cancer. When writing the text, the authors have focused on surgeons in training, interventional radiologists, nephrologists and fellows, dialysis nurses, and technicians. Health care professionals involved in the care of patients with end-stage renal disease or cancer and the patients themselves will also benefit from these handbooks. Volume I, appropriately, covers peritoneal dialysis. The concept of "Peritoneal Dialysis First" states that whenever feasible peritoneal dialysis should be the first dialysis modality considered for patients in need of a lifelong access strategy. Peritoneal dialysis offers a survival benefit for several years after dialysis initiation. Patients who receive a transplant while on peritoneal dialysis have better outcomes compared to patients who are on hemodialysis. As all dialysis access modalities have a high failure rate over time, proactively planning and placing access for hemodialysis in patients on peritoneal dialysis serves as "life insurance," should the peritoneal dialysis modality later fail. Peritoneal dialysis and hemodialysis must not be seen as competitive therapies but rather complementary, where over time both dialysis access options are considered as integral parts of thoughtful long-term planning.