Role of thoracic surgery in patients suffering from Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: To study the role of thoracic surgery in patients suffering from Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) in a South Bronx community with a high incidence of the disease.

METHODS

A retrospective analysis of medical records of patients who underwent thoracic surgery at Bronx-Lebanon hospital, New York, over a three year period between 1996-1998.

RESULTS

The thoracic surgeons at Bronx-Lebanon Hospital in New York operated upon a total of 210 patients. Of these, 39 were operated upon for AIDS-related illnesses, comprising 17% of the operative workload. The indications of surgery in these patients were variable, ranging from infections to tumours. Fifteen patients were operated on for pericardial effusion. Ten were operated on for empyema, which had failed to resolve with thoracostomy alone and necessitated decortication. Tumours also formed a significant portion of the surgical workload. Three patients had Kaposi's sarcoma of the lung and three had a primary lymphoma in the lung. The mortality rate was high (46%).

CONCLUSION

The data suggest that surgical intervention in AIDS-related chest diseases is unable to alter the course of the disease. Earlier detection and intervention of these complications may improve outcome in some patients.