[Treatment and a follow-up study on wound infection by Mycobacterium chelonae: report of 168 cases].

Objective: To summarize the experience of treatment on wound infection by non-tuberculous Mycobacterium (NTM) after operations.

Methods: A hundred and sixty-eight patients with NTM incision infection were retrospectively reviewed in terms of diagnosis, treatment and follow-up in a period of 4.5 years. On the basis of the results of in vitro drug sensitivity test, the main antibiotics used were clarithromycin and amikacin. The course of therapy was 4 - 8 months. An extirpative excision was performed in 104 cases following one month treatment by antibiotics and then followed by antibiotic therapy for 3 - 5 months after excision.

Results: Primary closure was achieved in 98 of the 104 cases. Fifty patients were cured by the use of antibiotics with dressing change. Eight patients were cured by dressing change without antibiotics. Five children with wound infection by NTM after circumcision were cured by antibiotics with local laser therapy. One patient with infection after hernia operation was cured by amikacin blocking of the area surrounding the lesion. There was no relapse after follow-up for four and half years.

Conclusion: The study demonstrates that sensitive antibiotics combined with surgery extirpative excision is effective for wound infection by NTM.