Q. Is surgery the only option for nontuberculous mycobacteria infection?
Hello doctor, I am 30 years old and married for the last 3.5 years. One and a half years back, I had a surgery to remove ovarian cyst and fibroid tumor from uterus by laparoscopy. But, somehow one incision area got infected and I was under antibiotic for almost 5 months. Meantime, I relocated and the infection become worse for which I had to undergo another surgery to remove the abdominal abscess. In a couple of months, I become quite well but one sudden day pus came out from the same area along with pain. My surgeon said it was fine as the pus was there during the healing period. But this gets worsen and the area again needs to be cleaned out through a minor surgery. I still have that area swollen with pain on the left abdomen and hence recently went through another CT scan and it seems that I am suspected of having nontuberculous mycobacterium infection on my abdomen wall. My doctor wanted another round of surgery to clean up the wound followed by prolonged antibiotic. Could you please guide me by letting me know if surgery is the only option or there are other ways that I can leverage and get cured? I do not want another surgery and looking for alternative but effective solutions. Please let me know if you require additional information.
Hi. It is unfortunate that you have to undergo repeated surgeries due to the infection. A combined therapeutic approach including surgical drainage, debridement, and prolonged treatment (more than three months) with combined antimicrobial agents, has been used in managing cases of atypical mycobacterium. In some cases based on clinical assessment, successful treatment requires aggressive debridement of all infected subcutaneous tissues and skin. Surgery does play a major role for these kinds of infections and may have to be repeated. I should be able to give you more inputs if I see the scans and reports. Kindly revert back with the same.