Mycobacterium chelonae exit site infection in a patient on peritoneal dialysis.

Atypical mycobacterial infe tion of the Tenckhoff catheter exit site is rare. Eradication of the infection is often difficult without the removal of the Tenckhoff cath ter. We report here a case of Mycobacterium chelonae exit site infection in a peritoneal dialysis patient. He was treated with a combination regimen of prolonged antibiotics, local heat therapy, deroofing and shaving of the Tenckhoff catheter outer cuff. This resulted in the successful treatment of the infection without the need for removal of the Tenckhoff catheter. We recommend that this therapeutic approach could be considered in similar cases and that removal of Tenckhoff catheter is not mandatory.