POST-SURGICAL INFECTION WITH MYCOBACTERIU M-CHELONAE

A 70-year-old patient developed Mycobacterium chelonae infection at a donor vein graft site following cardiac bypass surgery. The infection presented as fibrinous, necrotic ulcerations in the scar area. Mycobac terium chelonae and mycobacterium fortuitum are atypical mycobacteria and have been described previously causing infections after injections or surgical procedures. Infection of donor vein graft site is a rare complication after cardiac surgery. As mycobacterium chelonae cannot b e cultivated on normal culture media, delayed wound healing might be d isinterpretated as a primary wound healing disorder. Treatment of atyp ical myobacteriosis includes antibiotics, local heat therapy and surgi cal excision. Clarithromycin is the antibiotic of choice. We obtained complete healing after two months of Clarithromycin treatment, combine d with heat therapy.