title: A surgical approach in the management of mucormycosis in a trauma patient.
abstract: Mucormycosis as a consequence of trauma is a devastating complication; these infections are challenging to control, with a fatality rate approaching 96% in immunocompromised patients. We present a case where a proactive approach was successfully employed to treat mucormycosis following complex polytrauma. Aggressive repeated surgical debridement, in combination with appropriate antifungal therapy, proved successful in this instance. In our opinion, mucormycosis in trauma mandates an aggressive surgical approach. This prevents ascending dissemination of mucormycosis and certainly reduces the risk of patient mortality as a direct result. Anti-fungal therapy should be used secondarily as an adjunct together with surgical debridement, or as an alternative when surgical intervention is not feasible.
authors.affiliation: Trauma, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital , Brisbane QLD , Australia.|Orthopedics, Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital , Brisbane QLD , Australia.
authors.forename: B A
authors.initials: BA
authors.lastname: Zahoor
authors.affiliation: School of Medicine, University of Queensland , Brisbane QLD , Australia.
authors.forename: J E
authors.initials: JE
authors.lastname: Piercey
authors.affiliation: Trauma, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital , Brisbane QLD , Australia.|Orthopedics, Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital , Brisbane QLD , Australia.
authors.forename: D R
authors.initials: DR
authors.lastname: Wall
authors.affiliation: Trauma, Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital , Brisbane QLD , Australia.|Orthopedics, Royal Brisbane & Women's Hospital , Brisbane QLD , Australia.
authors.forename: K D
authors.initials: KD
authors.lastname: Tetsworth
mesh_terms: D000935:Antifungal Agents / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D003646:Debridement / Q000379:methods; D025981:Hip Injuries / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000382:microbiology / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D009091:Mucormycosis / Q000209:etiology / Q000601:surgery*; D009104:Multiple Trauma / Q000150:complications* / Q000382:microbiology; D011859:Radiography; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000935:Antifungal Agents
keywords: Invasive fungal wound infection; Mucormycosis; Rhizopus orzaye; Trauma; Treatment