Venkat Narsimha Reddy Nandyala1, Praveen Pallam2, Santhosh Babu3, Gopikanth Kundarapu4, Likhiteswer Pallagani 5
BACKGROUND
With an exponential rise in the prevalence of HIV infection among the population the incidence of surgical emergencies in these patients is also high. Keeping in view of the immunocompromised state, a Retrospective Observational Study was done to look at the causes and also the outcomes with regards to CD4 cell count.
METHODS
Case Records of 127 patients who were admitted to the Emergency Surgical Ward, diagnosed/screened positive for HIV positive status over a period of three years were studied. The various types of surgical emergencies and outcomes following interventions among these patients were analysed with regards to the CD4 cell counts.
RESULTS
Acute abdomen was the commonest surgical emergency reported among these patients where 93 patients out of 127 presented with acute abdomen whereas remaining 34 patients had nonabdominal surgical causes. Morbidity reported among these patients has no relation to the CD4 cell count whereas mortality was seen mostly among patients with low CD4 cell count.
CONCLUSION
Acute surgical emergencies are no longer uncommon among patients with HIV positive status and the outcomes are also reasonably good. A thorough and a careful clinical evaluation is mandatory before a surgical intervention is planned as a significant number of patients can be managed conservatively.
