NOSOCOMIAL PHAEOMYCOTIC CYST OF THE HAND

We present the case of an elderly man with chronic obstructive pulmona ry disease who had a 4-month history of multiple fluctuant masses of t he dorsum of the right hand, which began at the site of an intravenous catheter, Medications included inhaled and oral steroids. Fungal cult ures of the fluid obtained grew a pigmented mold identified as Exophia la species after several routine cultures were reported as negative. T he patient underwent radical excision of the masses and received a per ioperative course of oral itraconazole, This is one of the first known cases of a possible nosocomially acquired phaeomycotic cyst. Unusual fungi should be considered in the differential diagnosis of skin lesio ns in immunocompromised patients.