[The HIV patient in the surgical emergency unit]

At the emergency station of the Surgical Department of the University Hospital in Zurich, 90% of the group with high risk of infection with the human immunodeficiency virus are intravenous drug abusers and 10% are promiscuous homosexuals. When compared with the group of i.v. drug addicts, the group of homosexual patients is small, as homosexual behaviour is not recognised and drug consumption and surgical emergency cases occur more often with i.v. drug addicts than with homosexuals. Surgical illnesses of i.v. drug abusers are directly connected with drug addiction (needle abscesses, injuries by accident or violence). Homosexual patients have no characteristic surgical problems outside of anal difficulties. I.v. drug abusers are running a very high risk of viral infections: 75% have antibodies against the human immunodeficiency virus. 77% have antibodies against the hepatitis-B virus and 50% have antibodies against the hepatitis-A virus. At the surgical emergency station of the University Hospital in Zurich, the problem of i.v. drug consumption patients with risk of viral infection is permanently increasing. The surgical emergency station can be considered as an ideal place for the prevention from HIV-infection and for taking care of i.v. drug abusers.