Unresolved swelling of the hand: Think of Mycobacterium marinum infection

A. Drakou; M. Psifis; A. Mitrou; K. Zygoggianis; Ourania Argyropoulou

Trauma Case Reports (Apr 2020)

Unresolved swelling of the hand: Think of Mycobacterium marinum infection

A. Drakou,
M. Psifis,
A. Mitrou,
K. Zygoggianis,
Ourania Argyropoulou

Affiliations

A. Drakou: Orthopaedic Department, Laiko Hospital University of Athens, Greece; Corresponding author.
M. Psifis: Orthopaedic Department, Laiko Hospital University of Athens, Greece
A. Mitrou: Orthopaedic Department, Laiko Hospital University of Athens, Greece
K. Zygoggianis: Orthopaedic Department, Laiko Hospital University of Athens, Greece
Ourania Argyropoulou: University Department of Pathologic Physiology, Kapodistrian University of Athens, Laiko Hospital University of Athens, Greece

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 26

Abstract

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The surgical intervention and adjuvant locally applied measures to reduce the impact of a severe cutaneous hand infection caused by Mycobacterium marinum in a 48-year-old diver, receiving anti-TNFa (anti-tumor necrosis factor αlpha) treatment are presented herein.Careful surgical intervention- considered controversial so far-and lateral thinking are essential for the outcome of musculoskeletal infections caused by M marinum.Locally applied disinfection strategies inspired from fields other than medical (e.g. environmental biology) and clearly set surgery goals - aiming at optimizing tissue sampling, antibiotic penetration, decompression while preventing iatrogenic spread are discussed. Keywords: Anti-TNFa therapy, Mycobacterial musculoskeletal infection, Surgical debridement

Published in Trauma Case Reports

ISSN: 2352-6440 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Medicine: Surgery
Website: https://www.journals.elsevier.com/trauma-case-reports/

About the journal