Sequential bilateral lung resection in a patient with Mycobacterium abscessus lung disease refractory to medical treatment.
Mycobacterium abscessus (M. abscessus) is the second most common nontuberculous mycobacteria (NTM) in South Korea. Nevertheless, the diagnosis and treatment of M. abscessus lung disease can be problematic. Surgical resection has been tried for patients with localized M. abscessus lung disease refractory to medical treatment. Here, we report on a 25-year-old woman with M. abscessus lung disease who had been diagnosed and treated three times for pulmonary tuberculosis. She was initially diagnosed as having M. intracellulare lung disease; however, M. abscessus was isolated after several months of medication. She had multiple bronchiectatic and cavitary lesions bilaterally, and M. abscessus was repeatedly isolated from her sputa despite prolonged treatment with clarithromycin, ethambutol, moxifloxacin, and amikacin. She improved only after sequential bilateral lung resection. Based on the experience with this patient, we suggest that, if medical treatment fails, surgical resection of a diseased lung should be considered even in patients with bilateral lesions.
Lee
Seung Heon
SH
Division of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
Min
Joo-Won
JW
Um
Sang-Won
SW
Han
Seon-Sook
SS
Han
Sung Koo
SK
Shim
Young-Soo
YS
Yim
Jae-Joon
JJ
D000328:Adult; D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008171:Lung Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000382:microbiology* / Q000601:surgery; D009170:Nontuberculous Mycobacteria / Q000187:drug effects / Q000502:physiology*
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents