Hi Ethan,
My husband had aortic bypass surgery in 2017,We just learned that he has mycobacterium chimaera last year July 2019, he was very sick for 18months and we didn't know what was wrong with him, even when the PCP kept checking his blood until he develop an abscess in the spine. A culture was taken an he tested positive for mycobacterium chimaera. Because he was very sick with low WBC and RBC, we were told he had to start the big 5 antibiotics, and were given 4 weeks to go back into surgery for a redo, explant and implant graft and aortic mechanical valve. The procedure was done on October 3rd, after that he has has multiple surgeries as the aorta keeps bursting due to the infection. He is only 43yrs old. The cardiovascular surgeons have decided there is nothing they can do for us, infectious diseases doctors have added microfungin and bedaquiline and still the infection is resistant is there other way to treat this, his sternum has been left open due to multiple surgeries and washouts of the infection especially in his chest area. Any suggestions on how to treat this infection.