Huge Abscess due to Mycobacterium Abscessus Infection after Breast Augmentation

Abstract

Periprosthetic capsular contracture, implant rupture, and deflation are well-known delayed complications of augmentation mammaplasty. However, infection remains the most common cause of reoperation after breast implant surgery. We report the case of a nontuberculous mycobacterial infection with huge abscess formation after augmentation mammaplasty. A 29-year-old woman visited our clinic with enlarged breasts after undergoing breast augmentation at a local clinic 4 years ago. She had no pain and tenderness, except some hardness around the breast margin. Nine months after surgery, her breasts began to grow larger, but showed no other typical symptoms, which led the patient to neglect the enlargement. After exploring through an inframammary approach, a large amount of serous fluid leaked out on both sides and we identified a huge abscess in a pocket localized in the submuscular plane. During exploration, the infected implants, which contained a pus-like fluid with a foul odor, were completely drained. The specimen culture revealed growth of Mycobacterium abscessus, which is a rare cause of infections after breast augmentation. While the overall incidence of mycobacterial infections after breast augmentation is low, our case demonstrates that huge abscess and granuloma formation should be considered as a potential complication of breast surgery.

Keywords

• abscess
• breast implantation
• mycobacterium
• nontuberculous mycobacteria