Sternal osteomyelitis caused by Aspergillus fumigatus years after coronary artery bypass grafting: A case report
Austin Hingtgen,
Rishav Aggarwal,
Shreya Avilala,
Azmath Mohammed,
Rosemary Kelly
Affiliations
Austin Hingtgen
University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA; Correspondence to: 420 Delaware St. SE, MMC 207 Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA.
Rishav Aggarwal
Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware St. SE, MMC 207, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
Shreya Avilala
University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
Azmath Mohammed
Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware St. SE, MMC 207, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
Rosemary Kelly
Division of Cardiothoracic Surgery, Department of Surgery, University of Minnesota Medical School, 420 Delaware St. SE, MMC 207, Minneapolis, MN 55455, USA
Sternal infection after cardiac surgery is an infrequent post-operative complication. Aspergillus sternal osteomyelitis is a rarity. We review the case of a 77-year-old man with invasive aspergillosis of the sternum and left costal cartilage 23 years after undergoing cardiac surgery. The patient promptly underwent surgical irrigation and debridement, followed by antifungal therapy. Clinical suspicion of sternal fungal infection should be high in patients with mediastinitis with a history of cardiac surgery. Treatment should be prompt.
