title: Role of laparoscopic surgery in the management of acute abdomen in the HIV-positive patients.
abstract: Emergency open laparotomy in patients infected with HIV is accompanied by high mortality. The authors investigated the potential role of a laparoscopic approach for the management of acute abdomen in such patients. Prospectively, 10 patients with HIV disease (9 with AIDS) underwent laparoscopy for acute abdomen. The treatment was exclusively laparoscopic in 6 patients. A conversion to laparotomy was necessary in 4 patients but through guided elective incision in 3 of them. The postoperative course was uneventful in all patients but 1, who died. We advocate a laparoscopic approach, when feasible, as an initial step in the management of acute abdomen in HIV-positive patients.
authors.affiliation: Department of General Surgery, University Paris VI, Hospital Broussais, France.
authors.forename: J L
authors.initials: JL
authors.lastname: Bouillot
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dehni
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kazatchkine
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Fernandez
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Piketti
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Salah
authors.forename: J H
authors.initials: JH
authors.lastname: Alexandre
mesh_terms: D000006:Abdomen, Acute / Q000209:etiology* / Q000601:surgery*; D000328:Adult; D017081:Cholecystectomy, Laparoscopic; D005260:Female; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000150:complications*; D006801:Humans; D010535:Laparoscopy; D007813:Laparotomy; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011247:Pregnancy; D011271:Pregnancy, Ectopic / Q000150:complications; D011446:Prospective Studies