title: Cystic teratoma mimicking recurrent pleural effusion, complicated by Mycobacterium abscessus infection.
abstract: Teratomas of anterior mediastinum are rare. They are often slow growing, asymptomatic, and detected incidentally on chest imaging. Mycobacterium abscessus (M. abscessus) is an acid-fast bacillus that is classified as a pathogenic "rapid growing" non-tuberculous mycobacteria. It is an uncommon cause of human pathology, which may cause skin and soft tissue infection after skin injury following inoculation, minor trauma, and surgery. Here, we present an unusual case of benign cystic teratoma mimicking recurrent pleural effusion, which was subsequently complicated by M. abscessus infection following thoracotomy. Cystic teratoma is rare, but it needs to be considered whenever clinical and investigative work-up fails to provide a convincing diagnosis. A combined clinical, radiological, surgical, and histopathological assessment is important to arrive at the correct diagnosis. Rapidly growing mycobacteria needs to be included in the differential diagnosis of patients with non-resolving infected post-thoracotomy wound and who do not respond to broad-spectrum antibiotics.
authors: Respiratory Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Selayang Campus Sungai Buloh Selangor Malaysia.
authors: Nurul Yaqeen
authors: NY
authors: Mohd Esa
authors: Cardiovascular and Thoracic Surgery, Surgical Science Cluster, Faculty of Medicine Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sungai Buloh Selangor Malaysia.
authors: Adli Azam
authors: AA
authors: Mohd Radzi
authors: Pathology Department, Faculty of Medicine Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sungai Buloh Selangor Malaysia.
authors: Nor Salmah
authors: NS
authors: Bakar
authors: Medical Imaging Unit, Faculty of Medicine Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Sungai Buloh Selangor Malaysia.
authors: Mohd Shukry
authors: MS
authors: Mohd Khalid
authors: Respiratory Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Selayang Campus Sungai Buloh Selangor Malaysia.
authors: Ahmad Izuanuddin
authors: AI
authors: Ismail
authors: Respiratory Unit, Department of Internal Medicine, Faculty of Medicine Universiti Teknologi MARA (UiTM) Selayang Campus Sungai Buloh Selangor Malaysia.
authors: Mohamed Fauzi
authors: MF
authors: Abdul Rani
keywords: mycobacterium; teratoma