Repair of aortic dissection in a patient with advanced AIDS

Abstract

A 30-year-old man with Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV) in Advanced Immuno Deficiency Syndrome (AIDS) presented with acute type 1 aortic dissection in a state of shock. He underwent emergency surgical repair with placement of a 28 mm woven Dacron interposition graft. Cluster Differential (CD4) counts at admission were 23cells/μl. The decision to operate this patient was difficult as the risk of mortality and morbidity following surgery is high, because of the increased risk of opportunistic infections, in patients with CD4 counts less than 50 cells/μl. The data related to early outcome following such complex surgeries in this subset of patients is not available. (Ind J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 2009; 25: 127-129)