Prolonged Survival Following Intra-abdominal Mycobacterium abscessus Infection Without Antimicrobial Therapy or Surgical Intervention

Ankur Tiwari*, Matthew R. Geringer, Alice Barsoumian, Pamela Masella, Timothy J. Vreeland, Guy T. Clifton

*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Management of Mycobacterium abscessus infection involves prolonged multidrug antibiotic therapy with surgical resection indicated in extensive disease and abscesses. We report a case of post-surgical intra-abdominal M. abscessus infection with prolonged survival and radiographic resolution without intervention. A 51-year-old female who had a prolonged hospital stay with multiple surgeries following a complicated laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy developed multiple M. abscessus intra-abdominal and abdominal wall abscesses with cutaneous fistulae. She was started on a multidrug antibiotic regimen. However, the patient terminated the regimen after 4 weeks due to intolerable side effects and was transitioned to hospice care. She showed steady clinical improvement with radiographic resolution of the abscesses over the next year. In the context of the limited understanding of these infections, our finding is notable, given that in this period, she avoided potential hospitalizations, life altering side effects of prolonged antimicrobial therapy, and complications from more surgeries.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)4977-4980
Number of pages4
JournalAmerican Surgeon
Volume89
Issue number11
DOIs
StatePublished - Nov 2023
Externally publishedYes

Keywords

  • general surgery
  • surgical infection

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