[Current status of HIV/AIDS anesthetic experiences in Japan--questionnaire for anesthesia teaching hospitals].
BACKGROUND
As the number of HIV-infected patients in Japan increases every year, the opportunity for a HIV-positive patient to undergo an operation is also increasing.


METHODS
Authors sent questionnaire to 952 anesthesia teaching hospitals, in order to investigate the experience and management of the HIV-positive anesthetic cases.


RESULTS
The reply was obtained from 480 teaching hospitals. One hundred and nine hospitals (22.7%) experienced HIV-positive operation, 367 hospitals (76.5%) had no experience. With regard to the number of experienced HIV-positive cases, only one case was the most numerous answer and most of the hospitals had fewer than ten cases. General anesthesia was selected in 74% of cases, regional anesthesia (spinal or/and epidural anesthesia) were selected in 26% of cases. Preoperative HIV examination for almost all scheduled cases were carried out in 24% of the hospitals, but 23% of the hospitals did not carry out the examination at all. Eighteen percent of the hospitals had a severe rule for the management of a HIV-positive case, and 58% of the hospitals had a rule almost the same as for HBV-HCV positive cases.


CONCLUSIONS
Almost one fourth of anesthesia teaching hospitals experienced HIV-positive cases. Anesthesiologists should know how to manage HIV-positive surgical patients and be prepared for the cases.
Maehara
Yasuhiro
Y
Department of Anesthesia, International Medical Center of Japan, Tokyo 162-8655.
Matsuya
Atsuko
A
Kawachi
Shoji
S
Osaki
Yuka
Y
Suzuki
Yohei
Y
Sato
Masaki
M
Baba
Mariko
M
D000163:Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome / Q000453:epidemiology*; D000758:Anesthesia / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D000776:Anesthesiology; D015658:HIV Infections / Q000453:epidemiology*; D006784:Hospitals, Teaching / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D007564:Japan / Q000453:epidemiology; D019990:Perioperative Care / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013514:Surgical Procedures, Operative / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires