Successful Systemic and Topical Treatment of Mycobacterium abscessus Otomastoiditis

Abstract

Mycobacterium abscessus is an extensively drug-resistant opportunistic pathogen that can cause chronic otomastoiditis. There are no evidence-based treatment regimens for this severe infection. We treated four children with M. abscessus otomastoiditis with a structured regimen of topical imipenem and tigecycline, intravenous imipenem and tigecycline, and oral clofazimine and azithromycin and adjunctive surgery. This structured approach led to cure, with 1 year of follow-up after treatment. Adverse events were frequent, mostly caused by tigecycline.