SURGICAL-TREATMENT OF PNEUMOTHORAX IN AID S PATIENTS

A retrospective review of the charts of 26 patients with the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) treated at the Hotel-Dieu de Montreal was performed. Patients presented a total of 37 pneumothoraces. Eleve n cases were recurrent. Bilateral pneumothoraces were documented in th ree patients, most of them (17) were severe (> 75 %). Pneumocystis car inii pneumonia was the most frequently associated pathology. The initi al treatment consisted in chest tube drainage. A definitive treatment was indicated in 7 patients with prolonged air leaks (> 10 days) or wi thout lung expansion. Two median sternotomies with bilateral pleurecto mies, bullae plication, and talcage were done, and 5 unilateral thorac otomies with pleurectomies and bullae plications were completed. the p ost-operative survival was variable and related to diseases associated with the syndrome. AIDS related pneumothoraces is a morbid condition which should be treated on an individual basis.