Fungal colonization within a tissue expander: a case report.

Abstract

Fungal contamination derived from prosthetic substances is not common, although because of the following reasons the number of cases has increased in the recent years: increased life expectancy, and therefore a greater number of surgical candidates; higher rates of underlying diseases, which are accompanied by immunosuppressive disorders that can cause a higher susceptibility for such infections. Most reports of infection in breast prosthesis and tissue expanders are bacterial infections, and fungi cases are still rare. Hereby, we report a case of Aspergillus colonization in a tissue expander of a patient with an old burn scar. This fungal growth inside saline-filled tissue expander was asymptomatic and not troublesome. It also caused no changes in the patient's treatment course.