Incidence of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS)-related disorders at laparotomy in patients with AIDS

BACKGROUND: Patients with acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) present for surgical management of abdominal conditions that are complications of advanced human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or that are caused by other disease not related to AIDS. This study compared the clinical details and postoperative outcomes of patients with AIDS-related diseases found at laparotomy with those of patients with non-AIDS-related disorders. METHODS: The medical records of 30 consecutive patients with AIDS who underwent laparotomy were examined retrospectively. RESULTS: Fourteen patients had AIDS-related pathologies found at laparotomy, 13 had disease processes that were not AIDS related and three had no abnormal findings at laparotomy. Patients with AIDS-related conditions at laparotomy had lower mean body-weight, serum albumin concentration and CD4 lymphocyte count, and required a longer hospital admission than those who had non-AIDS-related disease. The duration of HIV infection and the number of complications and deaths were similar in the two groups. Complications occurred in 21 patients and there were five deaths (30-day mortality rate 17 per cent). CONCLUSION: AIDS-related pathologies are commonly found at laparotomy in patients with HIV/AIDS. An AIDS-related diagnosis does not confer a greater risk of complication or postoperative death than other conditions.