Conservative management of local Mycobacterium chelonae infection after combined liposuction and lipofilling

A case of Mycobacterium chelonae infection in the buttock after combined liposuction and lipoinjection is presented. The real possibility of contamination from operating room equipment was the potential etiologic factor of this infection. The clinical presentation of the disease was typical. The difficulty confirming the diagnosis was solved by specific culturing techniques. Successful treatment with limited debridement and irrigation combined with prolonged specific antibiotic therapy effected a long-term cure.