Subcutaneous Chest Abscess Caused by Candida Albicans Infection Following Laparoscopic Cholecystectomy in an Immunocompetent Patient: A Case Report
April 2022
in “
Cureus
”
TLDR A healthy woman got a chest abscess from a fungal infection after gallbladder surgery, which was treated but caused temporary hair loss due to the antifungal medication.
The document discusses a unique case of a 42-year-old immunocompetent Japanese woman who developed a subcutaneous abscess in her lower left chest due to Candida albicans infection after a laparoscopic cholecystectomy. The abscess was treated with surgical drainage and antifungal therapy. During treatment, the patient experienced telogen effluvium (hair loss) due to long-term use of fluconazole, an antifungal medication. However, her hair regrew six weeks after stopping the medication. The case emphasizes that subcutaneous candidal abscesses can occur in immunocompetent patients with skin breakdown and prior antibiotics use, and that prolonged fluconazole use can lead to reversible hair loss.
